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SQUASHES : 

HOW TO GROW THEM. 

A PRACTICAL 

TREiTISE ON SQUASH CULTURE. 

GIVING FULL DETAILS ON EVEE-Y POINT, IN- 
CLUDING KEEPING AND MARKETING 
THE CROP. 

- Neto, Eebiseti, anti lEulargeti lEtiition* 



BY 

JAMBS J. H. GEEGOKY, 

Author of '« Onions and How to Grow Them," " Cabbages and 

How to Raise Them," "Fertilizers and How to 

Compound and Use Them," etc. 



Illustratetr, 



MARBLEHEAD, MASS.: 

JAMES J. H. GEEGORY. 

1893. 





mmmmmmm^^^ 



BOOKS FOR FARMERS AND OTHERS. 

FERTILIZERS: WHERE THE MATERIALS COME 
FROM, WHERE TO GET THEM IN THE CHEAP- 
EST FORM, HOW TO COMPOUND FORMULAS, 

ETC. 

By James J. H. Gregory, Marblehead, Mass. 

For inore than twenty-five years, I have made use of what are 
known among farmers as "fertilizers," as distinguished from 
the manure of the barn-yard, using in recent years, mostly in the 
drill, from thirty to forty tons annually. Of late I have com- 
pounded these myself, purchasing the materials and various 
chemicals where I could find the best articles cheapest. I 
have repeatedly been urged by the agricultural societies, before 
whom I have lectured on the subject of Fertilizers, to publish 
my lectures. To oblige my many friends, who have made this 
request, and as a help to many of my customers who are seeking 
help along this dark and difficult road, I now do so. In iny 
little work, there will be found many valuable tables, with 
many suggestions, and much information on the purchase of 
materials, the combining of them, and the use of the fertilizers 
made from them. I believe it will give a good return to any of 
my customers for their outlay. The treatise makes a book of 
ii6 pages; price, post-paid, 40 cts. Cloth, 65 cts. 



ONION RAISING : WHAT KINDS TO RAISE, AND 

THE WAY TO RAISE THEM. 

By J. J. H. Gregory, Marblehead, Mass. 

This work, which I issued in 1865, has been warmly recom- 
mended by some of the best authorities in the country, and has 
gone through fifteen editions. It treats on Onions raised from 
seed, Potato Onions, Onion Sets, Top Onions, Shallots, and 
Rare-ripes, the Onion Maggot, Rust, the merits of the different 
varieties of Onions, instructions in seed raising, and how to tell 
good seed, — beginning with the selecting the ground, and carry- 
ing the reader along, step by step, through the preparing of the 
soil, manuring, ploughing, planting, hoeing, Weeding, gather- 
ing the crop, storing and marketing it, with a hundred minute 
details embracing every department of the subject. Illustrated 
with thirteen engravings of Onions, Sowing Machines, and 
Weeding Machines. Price, post-paid, 30 cents. 



SQUASHES: 



HOW TO GROW THEM 



PRACTICAL TREATISE ON SQUASH CULTURE, GIVING FULL DETAILS OF 
EVERT POINT, INCLUDING KEEPING AND MARKETING THE CROP. 



NEW, EEVISED, AND ENLAEGED EDITION. 
BY / 

JAMES J. H. pEEGORY, 

Author of ''Onion, and How to Grow," "cabbage, and 

How TO Rear Them," " Fertilizers, and How 

TO Compound and Use Them," etc. 






Jllustratctf, 



MARBLEHEAD, MASS.: 

JAMES J. H. GREGORY. 

1893. 
6*0 . 



'n>^ 



/ry 



/ 



Copyrighted, 1893, 
By James J. H. Gregory. 



^'^'b'^^ 

a^"'^ 



3. J. Aeakelyan, Printer, 

150 Pearl St., Boston. 



INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW AND 
REVISED EDITION. 

Since the first edition of this Treatise was written, the 
cultivation of the running variety of the squash has 
spread from New England, to which they were then 
mostly confined, throughout the Middle and Western 
States. One result of this is that the markets of the 
Eastern States are now largely supplied with squashes 
grown by farmers in the West. 

Meanwhile, many new varieties have been introduced, 
and adopted into general cultivation, that deserved to be 
illustrated and described ; while many new facts and 
suggestions on the subject claimed a record ; and it has 
this seemed best to revise the former treatise, and send out 
new edition of my Squash Book. The Squash family [Cu- 
Gvrbitacece) have their habitat in the tropics and warmer 
portions of the temperate zones; hence they require our 
hottest seasons to develop them in perfection. With the 
exception of the Vegetable Marrow, the squash family is 
almost unknown to our English cousins, as likewise is true 
of our corn and beans, for though the average temperature 
of the year is higher with them than with us, yet the ex- 
treme hot weather, which these vegetables require, is 
there wanting. 

The introduction of the squash is a matter of the past 
half century ; until within that time, with the exception of 
the Crookneck, the pumpkins, yellow and black, or " nig 
ger," were the only varieties cultivated. Though the ap- 
petite for squash appears to be in a considerable degree a 
matter of education, yet it is becoming more and more 
popular in the vicinity of the large cities of the North, 
where among vegetables, it now ranks next to the potato. 
3 



4 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC 

WHAT IS A SQUASH? 

In many parts of the South and West, where the fall 
and winter squashes are not much cultivated, the term 
*' Pumpkin " is used for all the running varieties of the 
squash or pumpkin family, with the exception of tho 
*'Cashaw" class, which includes varieties that are closely 
allied to the Crookneck. To clearly define what is meant by 
the word squash in contradistinction from the word pump- 
kin, as used among market-men, is no very easy matter, as all 
the varieties, with the exception of the Crooknecks, easily 
intercross with each other, and in the recently introduced 
Yokohama, I have reason to believe we have found the 
connecting link between the Crooknecks and other squashes, 
thus destroying the reputation which the Crooknecks had 
hitherto enjoyed of being tlie squashes of the squash fam- 
ily. Grouping all the running varieties together, we ex 
press the marketman's idea of a squash, as distinguished 
from a pumpkin, when we say that all varieties having 
soft or fleshy stems, either with or without a shell, and all 
varieties having a hard, woody stem, and without a shell, 
are squashes ; while all having a hard stem and a shell 
the flesh of which is not bitter, are pumpkins ; and all of 
this latter class, the flesh of which contains a bitter prin- 
ciple, are gourds. In a more general classification, all va- 
rieties having a hard shell, are gourds, and those without 
a shell, are squashes. I had an amusing instance under this 
system of classification in a lot of seed, ordered from France 
as " gourds ;" on examining them, I found that several of 
the kinds were varieties of our table squashes. Making a 
separate classification of the summer varieties, I define 
such to be squashes, in contradistinction from gourds, as 
are eatable at any period of their growth. It will be seen 
that, the distinctions I make are more commercial than 
strictly scientific. What I aim at, is, to so define squashes, 
pumpkins, and gourds, that experienced market-men, seed- 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GBOW THEM, ETC. 5 

men, and new beginners, may meet on common ground, 
and clearly understand each other when using these terms. 
Li passing, I remark, that gourds are far more prolific 
than either squashes or pumpkins; in some instances more 
than two score having been grown on a single vine. 

SELECTING THE SOIL. 

All of the family thrive besfc, other things equal, in a 
warm soil, through which the roots can easily find their 
way. The Hubbard, Butman, and Marblehead squashes 
appear to attain their highest development in regard to 
both yield and quality in a soil that is strong as well as 
warm. I would not advise planting in a clay soil under 
any circumstances, nor on a strong clay loam, unless it 
be possible by thorough draining and high manuring (for 
this purpose, long manure is better than fermented), to 
make such soil light and porous. A drained meadow 
will "often yield enormous squashes, if well manured, 
but they are apt to be very porous, of poor quality, and 
poor keepers. 

Some years since I planted a piece of rich, black 
meadow to Hubbards, after manuring liberally in the hills. 
The result was a tremendous growth of vine, some of 
the leaves measuring twenty inches in diameter, while the 
ends of the runners, in their great vigor, lifted themselves 
by thousands two and three feet above the surface, and 
with their blunt, arched extremities, looked like a myriad 
of huge-winged serpents running a race. The squashes 
were of a lighter green than usual, very large, but, when 
gathered, proved light in the handling, very porous in 
structure (cutting like punk), were very poor keepers, 
and coarse and watery in quality. Though such meadows 
are thoroughly underdrained, the squashes grown on them 
are light in proportion to their size, (which always insures 
poor quality and poor keeping,) unless the meadows have 
had abundance of sand and loam worked into them, thus 



6 SQUASHES, HOW TO GK0V7 THEM, ETC. 

adding the proper proportion of silica to the vegetable 
humus. Some years ago, wlieL the Marrow squash was a 
novelty, bringing about $4.00 a hundred pounds, one of 
my townsmen raised some acres on a piece of drained 
meadow. Only a portion of the meadow had received a 
good dressing of sand ; here the squashes were of about 
the ordinary size, while on the remainder they grew " as 
big as barrels." He traded a part of the crop with a 
peddler for a lot of swine. When the peddler called for the 
squashes, agreeable to instructions, the father being absent 
from town, his son showed him the smaller sized lot, say- 
ing that he had received directions to deliver them, as 
they were the best of the crop. But the peddler declared 
that, as he had supplied good pigs, he was entitled to good 
squashes, and would be put off with no trash. He there- 
fore loaded his wagons with the " big as a barrel " lot, and 
left for home. Before many days a friend called, and, 
with a laugh, asked if he had heard of the result of the 
squash investment. " There was'nt enough substance in 
them to hold together until he got home ; they were car- 
ried to market in a few days, and two tons out of five 
were rotten." K the soil be wet and cold, the growth of 
the vine is much retarded, and not only is the crop much 
lessened in size and weight, but at times this singular re- 
sult is seen — the squash loses its normal form. I have 
seen a crop of Hubbards grown under such circumstances, 
all of which were nearly flat at each end, instead of hav- 
ing the elongations that belong to the normal form. 

When two soils of equal natural strength, but one of 
them being more gravelly in its structure, are heavily and 
equally manured, I have noticed, in several instances, that 
the more gravelly piece will give more squashes and less 
vine than the others. 

Unlike some varieties of melons and cucumbers, squashes 
will do finely on freshly broken sod, which has the ad- 
vantage (a great one in many localities) of being less in- 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 7 

Tested with bugs, than old tillage soil. The practice of 
digging holes a foot or two in diameter in patches of turf 
in waste places, around hedges, or in corners of fields, 
which, after fiUiog with manure, are planted to squashes, is 
but a waste of time ; the result is, a growth of vine of a 
few feet in length, the setting of squashes, and then both 
squash and vine become checked in their growth, as the 
roots of the vine make vain efforts to penetrate a dense 
mass of hungry grass roots in search of food, the leaves 
gradually turn yellow, and before you know it, have 
entirely disappeared. By pulling on a dead vine, you 
may drag out a half grown squash hidden in the grass. 

If the sod abounds in the pest known as witch, twitch, 
or quack grass, there is danger that it will overrun the 
vines. If the grass has not been thoroughly torn up 
by the cultivator before the vines begin to run, better 
plow up at once, as the crop will be nearly a failure. 
Hoeing up and hand pulling will practically amount to 
nothing under such circumstances. If the sod is not 
badly run to twitch, there is but little danger, provided 
the cultivator is faithfully used from the time the vines 
appear above ground until the runners begin to push. 
Witch grass can be killed by covering the tops (uncut) 
with two inches of soil, as I have learned by experiment. 

THE MANURE. 

The squash vine is a rank feeder. Night soil, barn ma- 
nure, wood ashes, guano, muscle mud, hen manure, super- 
phosphate of lime, pig manure, sheep manure, fish guano, 
fish waste — either of these alone, or in compost, is greedily 
devoured by this miscellaneous feeder. The great error 
in the cultivating of the squash is to starve it. By many 
cultivators, when every other crop has had its share, and 
the manure heap has been used up, a piece of sod is broken 
for the squash patch, about the only food depended on 



8 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

for the crop being what it can gather from the decay of 
the fresh turned sod. Under such treatment, the crop is 
small, the squashc*? small, and the general result unsatis- 
factory. Another dn*or of the opposite extreme is one 
often committed by market gardeners, who have learned 
that no paying crop can be grown without liberal feeding 
— -who give all the food necessary, but do not allow suf- 
ficient room for the extra growth of vines under such cul- 
ture. Of this latter error I propose to treat under the 
head of *' Planting the Seed." 

Night soil, when used, should be mixed with muck and 
other manures in the form of a compost; though it may be 
applied fresh, directly to the hill, if sufficient care is taken 
to mix it thoroughly with the soil. Some years ago, I 
broke up a piece of land in the spring of the year for 
squashes, and the location being difficult of access, I used 
night soil from a vault on the premises, pouring about two 
bushels into each hill. After we had finished manuring, I 
sent my hired man, stout Jim Lane, around with his hoe 
to mix it thoroughly with the soil in the hills. When 
Jim came back, saying the thing had been thoroughly 
done, I send him around a second time, to give it another 
mixing up, and, on his return, sent him around the third 
time, though the old fellow assured me that it couldn't be 
improved on, and I had no doubt he had done his work 
well each time, but, with two bushels of fresh night soil 
in each, I knew that all the danger lay in one direction. 
The result was, the vines came up a rich, dark-green, and 
took riojht hold of their food. 

With the exception of barn manure, it is necessary that 
each of the manures mentioned above should be well 
mixed in the soil when used in the hill. When wood 
ashes are used, they should not be mixed with other manure, 
until just as it is applied, as this would injure the value of 
the manure, by setting free the ammonia. When I have 
used ashes in connection with Peruvian guano, I have 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 9 

been in the habit of putting layer with layer in a wheel- 
barrow, hurrying it to the hills, and then covering it im- 
mediately with soil. Even with all possible hurrying of 
matters, the strong, pungent smell of tbe escaping am- 
monia could be readily detected. 

^ Wood ashes, mixed with fresh night soil in the hill 
is considerably worse than nothing. Some years ago, 
aiming to grow some extra large specimens, I selected a 
favorable location, opened several large hills, and poured 
into each about a couple of bushels of night soil. Into 
this I stirred a liberal quantity of wood ashes, acting on 
the theory that its alkaline properties would serve as a 
corrective of the rank crudeness of the night soil. I pull- 
ed the earth over the hills, and planted my seed. The 
seed vegetated, but the young plants soon came to a stand 
still. I applied a little fresh soil to the roots, thinking the 
manure below might be too strong for the young rootlets 
to -absorb. Still, there was no growth; soon the leaves 
turned yellow, and the plants died. I opened one hill to- 
find the cause, and there I found cause enouorh in the 
presence of a mass having about the size and appearance 
of an ordinary grindstone ; the ashes and night soil in 
combination had made a hard cement, and the entire con- 
tents of each hill could be rolled out in one cake. 

HOW lyiUCH MANURE? 

Those who, under the stimulus of a city market, follow 
market gardening, soon learn one truth that may be set 
down as an axiom for successful gardening, viz. : that 
other things equal, it is the last cord of manure that giv^es 
the most profit. There is but little danger of giving too 
much manure to your squash ground, provided the hills 
are made at a proper distance apart, and the vines are not 
too numerous. 

No prudent man will plant squashes with less than four 
1* 



10 SQUASHES, HOW 10 GROW THEM, ETC. 

cords of barn manure, or its equivalent, to the acre ; this 
is the minimum — when squashes are raised as a profitable 
crop, from six to twenty cords of good manure per acre 
are used. 

Twenty cords to the acre will, I doubt not, sound like-, 
a large story to many readers, and it is a large quantity 4 
even for the liigh culture required for successful market 
gardening, but I have seen that quantity applied, and 
once, in my own practice, applied thirty-five cords to a 
little over two acres of squash land, where the soil had 
been over-cropped, (or rather under-fed,) for many years 
before I came into possession of it. Let us look a moment 
into that axiom — the greatest profit comes out of the 
last cord of manure^ With four cords of manure to 
the acre, on good soil, the average yield would be about 
four tons of Hubbard squashes ; with six cords of manure, 
the average yield would be about six tons; with eight 
cords, the yield would be from seven to eight tons. These 
are real results, that I have had in my own experience. 
Here it will be seen that we gain about a ton of 
squashes with eacn extra cord of manure ; in other words, 
by investing eight or ten dollars, we treble or quadruple 
our money in six month's time — quite a profitable bank 
of deposit is the manure heap! Not only is the crop 
heavier, but the squashes are larger, and, therefore, fai 
more marketable, and, usually, at a higher figure, some- 
times bringing 15 or $10 a ton advance in the market. 
Nor is this all; the virtues of the manure are not ex- 
hausted in the first season; the ground is left in higher 
condition for the crops of the next season. Again, let it 
be noted that the cost of cultivation of a poor crop is just 
as great as the cultivation of a large one, while the promise 
of a large crop is a great cheer amid the labor of caring 
for it. The strongest argument for the liberal manur- 
ing of this and all other crops is, that a certain portion 
of the crop but pays for the cost of producing it, and 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. H 

that the profits can only come after the cost of production 
is paid. 

The cost of joroducing an acre of squashes, independent 
of the cost of the manure, will be: 

Plowing twice |0.00 

Distributing Manure 3 . 00 

Cultivating in Manure .^ 3 . 00 

Seed *. 4.00 

Mixing Manure in Hills , 2.00 

Plarting Seed 1 .00 

Three Cultivatings in course of season 5.25 

Two Hoeings , 3 . 00 

Lime and Liming 1.50 

Hand-weeding of large, scattered Weeds, after Kunners have 

started off 1 . 00 

Gathering of Crop into Heaps ready for Carting 2.00 

Interest on Land 9.00 

Wear and Tear, and Incidentals 2.00 

Total, exclusive of Manure $42.75 

Add cost of four Cords of Manure, at $8.00, landed in Field 33.00 

Cost of Guano, or some equivalent, to mix in Hills 5.00 

Total cost of Crop when four Cords of Manure are used per Acre. $79. 75 

Now, as we stated above, the average yield of Hubbard 
squashes, under such manuring, Avould be about four 
tons. The average price of Hubbard squashes in the 
Boston markets, of late years, of such a size as four 
cords of manure to the acre would produce, has been 
about $20 per ton. At this rate, the returns (not de- 
ducting the cost of marketing) per acre would be $80, 
from which, deducting the cost of production, 179.75, 
we have 25 cents as the profits on the acre. 

H, now, by adding two cords more of manure, or 116, 
to the cost of production, we obtain two tons more 
squashes, then the income is increased 140 (this supposes 
that we get but the same price per ton, but, in fact, I get 
fronj $5 to 110 more per ton for such squashes), and we 
have a profit of 124.25. The two cords of manure extra 
have more than doubled the profits; in other words, by ad- 



12 SQUASHES, HOW TO GKOW THEM, ETC. 

ding about one-six to the cost of production, we double 
the profits. Or, again, to give a commercial look to the 
matter, for every dollar invested in manure in May, in 
October, or live months, Ave receive a return of t\\t) dol- 
lars and a half. The returns have proved in the same 
proportion up to eight cords, and at times up to ten cords, 
to the acre. Tliese statements are not visionary ; they 
are drawn directly from practical experience^ and can be 
corroborated by any farmer who has tried liberal manur- 
ing. Catch a farmer of that class going backwards, and 
putting less and less manure on his grounds, what a 
[)henomenon he would be ! No ; the progress of all enter- 
prising iarmers is in one direction. By extra manuring the 
probabilities of receiving paying returns, are far greater in 
agricultural than in commercial life, as figures will readily 
show, though the popular belief is directly the contrary. 

PREPARING AND APPLYING THE MANURE. 

As a general rule in farming, the value of manures that 
are good for any crop, is inci-eased by mixing them to- 
gether, making a compost. Ashes and lime are an ex- 
ception to this rule; each, under certain circumstances, 
sets free the ammonia, (the most valuable portion of any 
manure,) and, being volatile, it escapes into the atmos- 
phere. In preparing a compost for squashes, the bottom 
of the heap may be nuide of mnck that has been acted up- 
on by the frost, sun, and rain of a year, if practicable ; if 
this can not be done, let it at least be got out the fall 
previous, that it may be disintegrated, and, in a measure, 
sweetened by the winter's frost. In the course of the 
winter, manure from the barn-yard maybe hauled upon it. 
If this has been well Avorked by hogs, the better. Toward 
spring, if night-soil can be poured into it, the richness of 
the heap Avill be nuich increased. Sharp sand can now be 
thrown over the heap, and about as soon as frost breaks 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 13 

ground, the entire mass should be thrown over with forks, 
and thoroughly commingled, all coarse lumps broken 
up, and all frozen lumps brought to the outside of the 
pile. As soon as the mass begins to heat, the process 
should be repeated once or twice, until it is made as 
fine and as thoroughly mixed together, as time will allow 
The sand will be found to be excellent to keep the manure 
finely divided and light, or to "cut" it, as farmers say. 

In applying the manure for this or other crops, many 
farmers use all the manure in the hill ; some, because hav- 
ing but little to use, they wish to get it as near the plants 
as possible, while others set*m tc hold the theory, that a 
circle of three or four feet in diameter is a sufficient area 
for the roots of squash vines to travel over in search of 
food. Where all the manure is used in the hill, the squash 
vines push over the ground rapidly, until just after the 
setting of the squashes, when they lose vigor, the squashes 
develop but slowly, and in the end there is a small crop of 
undersized squashes, for the roots, having meanwhile 
pushed beyond the hills, can not find food sufficient to 
sustain the growth of the vines. The roots of squash 
vines increase faster than is generally supposed. Tliere 
is a theoiy that the roots grow to the same length as 
the vines, keeping pace with them in their growth. 
Whether the roots grow as long, or longer, than the vines, 
I can not say, but when the runner of a vine had pushed 
out but eighteen inches, I found the root over three feet 
in length, thus proving that at one period of growth, the 
root increases faster than the vine. This spreading of the 
roots through the soil is one of the marvels of vegetable 
life. I remember once lifting a small pile of litter that 
was about six inches deep, some dozen feet distant from 
a squash hill, when I saw what appeared to be a fine 
mist at the surface of the ground, but upon examination 
myriads of fine rootlets were seen, that were doubtless 
feeding on the decaying vegetable matter. Any person 



14 SQVASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

who will examine a squash vine of the runniiVg sorts, after 
it has set its fruit, will find roots pushed down into the 
earth at each joint ; and though these may be in part de- 
signed by the Creator to steady the vine, there can be but 
little doubt but that they are designed also to feed the 
long rimners. And this is proved by the fact, that if the 
connection of the vine with the main root be severed, 
while these subordinate roots remain uninjured, it will still 
maintain a degree of vigor. Such facts as these sweep 
all theories of hill-manuring by the board, for if the roots 
travel beyond the hill in search of food, there a wise cul- 
tivator will put food for them. My usual practice is this : 
to distribute all the manure from my compost heap over 
the field, after the first plowing^ and before cultivating or 
harrowing. This is thoroughly worked under (and but 
just under) by the use of the wheel harrow or the 
^^Acme" harrow, both being modern implements, ad- 
mirably adapted to the work, with the cultivator, aiming 
to have everything as thoroughly fined up as possible. 
After the manure is well worked under, the hills or drills 
are marked off by dragging a chain over the surface, the 
first line being made straight by setting up two poles 
ahead, and keeping them in line while walking; afterward 
the lines can be kept conveniently straight by carrying a 
pole of the same length as the distance desired between 
the hills, and using it occasionally as a guide. After the 
field is thus chained out in one direction, if it is decided 
to plant in hills, it is crossed in the opposite direction, 
the hills being marked out by the crossing of the lines 
made by the chain. If the surface is free from large 
rocks, the hills can be marked out by running two sets 
of furrows, the hills being made where they cross each 
other at right angles. 

In the hills I work in my manure, avoiding all stable 
dung, or any animal manure, as this is liable to contain 
seed, and to one who raises squashes for seed purposes, 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 15 

this is quite a serious objection, for, in fact, I have found 
it almost impossible to keep squashes pure, where animal 
manure is used in the hill. I manure in the hill, or drill, 
with the most highly concentrated manures to be pro- 
cured, such as guano, superphosphate of lime, or fish gu- 
ano. The reason for using highly stimulating manure in 
the hill is, to give the plants a quick start when young, 
that they may grow beyond injury from the ravages of 
the striped bug. 

There is danger in using highly concentrated manures in 
the hill, that the roots of the young plants be destroyed 
— " burned " is the farmer's phrase ; to prevent this, they 
should be most thoroughly stirred in with the soil. My 
practice is, to take such manure in a wooden bucket, and 
passing from hill to hill, scatter, if phosphates, as much as 
I can take up in a half closed hand ; if Peruvian guano, 
about half as much, over a circle of about two feet in di- 
ameter. A man follows immediately after with a six-tined 
fork; he is directed to turn it just under the surface, and 
then draw his fork across the hill three times, and again 
three times at right angles with the first direction, ending 
with planting the fork in the middle of the hill, and giving 
it a twist around. I am thus particular in my directions, 
because day laborers seldom realize the corrosive effects 
of these highly concentrated fertilizers. After my man 
a boy follows to plant the seed ; he sweeps a circle with 
his finger around each hill, as he finishes planting. 

After the vines have got so far along as to show their 
runners, I top dress the surface with hen manure, or some 
of the special manures above mentioned, and immediately 
follow with the cultivator. 

It will be perceived that my system of manuring is 
based upon the theory that vines prefer their food near 
the surface of the ground. I draw this inference from the 
fact, that vines are great lovers of heat, being quite sen- 
sitive to changes of temperature, and also from tracing 



16 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

roots, and finding under the old system of deep manuring, 
that they would, at first sttcrting, run but an incli or two 
below the surface of the earth, when they would spread 
out horizontally, and stretch on for some feet at a very 
uniform distance below the surface. Again, I find my 
crops very satisfactory under this system of manuring, 
and for a number of years have cultivated all my crop 
(four to seven acres annually), on this plan. My friends 
will note that I reduce my manure very fine, and mix it 
very thoroughly with the soil. My soil is a strong loam. 

PREPARING THE HILLS. 

The system almost universally advised and pursued in 
preparing the hills for planting, is to throw out the earth 
from within a circle of from two and a half to four feet in 
diameter, and from six inches to a foot in depth, oftentimes 
quarrying out rocks and digging into the hard-pan to get 
the standard depth. Then fill in with manure, and cover this 
with earth, raising a low mound in tlie form of a trun- 
cated cone about six inches above the surface. On this 
mound the seed are planted. Where the land is freshly 
turned sod, the hills are usually made by cutting a hole 
of the usual diameter in the sod with a sharp spade or 
axe. In my own practice, I have for years given up this 
method. The plan of excavating a hole, and putting in it 
all, or about all, the manure for the crop, appears to 
be founded on the theory that the roots will copfine them- 
selves to the area — an idea entirely erroneous, as w^e have 
already shown. Quarrying into the hard-pan and nutting 
manure down to such cold depths, is inviting the vine to 
violate its instinctive love of heat. Again, this system 
involves a great deal of labor, particularly when sod land 
is planted, and on these latter the pieces of sod taken out 
of the hills remain nuisances over the surface of the field, 
either clogging the cultivator, or being knocked against 



SQlTASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 1^ 

the young vines. Let any farmer try the plan of prepar- 
ing his hills as I have detailed above, and I will guaran- 
tee that he will not again return to the present system. 
If bam manure is to be used in the liills, let them be 
made saucer shape, broad and shallow. In preparing 
freshly broken sod, I find Share's harrow and the 
^'^Acme'' and wheel harrows excellent implements, as 
they will pare down the sod to an inch in thickness, and 
make the soil as easy to be worked as old ground. 

HOW FAR APART SHOULD WE HAVE THE HILLS, AMD 
HOW MANY VINES SHALL WE LEAVE IN THE HILL ? 

The great error among farmers is to make their hills 
too near together, and leave too many vines in each hill. 
A very common distance for Marrow squashes is six feet 
apart each way, three or four vines being left in each MIL 

A little figuring will show the bad policy of the prac- 
tice. When a Marrow squash vine grows alone — and it 
oftentimes happens that one comes up among other crops 
on the farm — it will mature as many as three squashes, and 
at times half a dozen or more. Squashes so grown are 
almost always fine types of the particular variety. Now, 
on the contrary, when the hills are six feet apart, with 
three or four vines to a hill, the vines will not average 
one squash to each. I have been amused to receive the 
estimates of farmers of the number of squashes to the 
vine on the heaviest crop of Marrows they ever saw. As 
often as not the reply would be "three to the vine." 
Now an acre of ground planted 6x6 will have about 
1200 hills to the acre ; four vines to the hill would be 
4800 vines to the acre. The present variety of Autumnal 
Marrow squashes as now grown, will average above seven 
pounds to the squash ; if the vines produced on an aver- 
age one squash apiece, we should then have 33,600 lbs., or 
over seventeen tons to the acre ! Whereas the largest crop 
on record, as far as I am aware, of this variety of Marrow 
is less than eleven tons to the acre. From such figures 



18 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

the conclusion stands out with emphasis, that a system 
that, taking the average of crops, does not give over one 
squash to two vines, is unnatural, unfarmer-like, and un 
profitable. 

The shortest distance, where the hill system of planting 
is pursued, should not be less than 8 feet each way for 
Boston Marrow squash and other running varieties, 
with the exception of the Hubbard, Turban, and Yoko- 
hama, which are ranker growers, and should not be 
planted nearer than nine or ten feet each way. The hills 
for the Mammoth varieties should be twelve or more feet 
apart each way. At these distances apart, two plants in 
each hill, (the vines being thinned down to that number 
when the runners begin to start), will be found sufficient 
to well cover the ground. Were it not for danger from 
the borer, I would never leave more than one vine to a 
hill, — putting the hills in each case proportionally nearer 
One of the finest crops of Turban squashes I ever raised, 
a crop that took the county premium for yield that year, 
was raised with but one vine to the hill, and the crop tliat 
took our county premium the year previous was grown 
with two vines to the hill. This brings us to the discus- 
sion of the Drill versus Hill system of planting. On the 
supposition that the great error in growing squashes has 
been to crowd the roots too much together below ground, 
while the vines were crowded too nmch together above 
ground, I have advocated, and to some extent practised, 
the Drill system of planting — having each vine entirely 
by itself, and distributing them evenly over the ground. 
Assuming that 10 x 10 or 100 square feet is sufficient room 
for the plant, on the Drill system, I allow 7x7 or about 
50 feet for one plant. In planting on this system, the field 
is marked out as if for hills, the lines crossing each other 
every seven feet. In planting in drills I put three seeds 
along in the line, and when the plants begin to show run- 
ners, thin to one plant. By the drill system, in addition 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, EPC. 19 

to the advantages above claimed, I think that the crop is 
more uniform in size, and the squashes are better propor- 
tioned in their forms than under the hill system. The 
vines being in a row, instead of a circle, the cultivator can 
be carried nearer to them. JMost of my land is very un- 
even, otherwise I should always plant in diills in preference 
to hills. 

PLANTING THE SEED. 

The quantity of seed per acre for the Marrow and Hub- 
bard varieties is set by practical farmers at two and a 
half pounds. This allows for liberal planting with a good 
surplus for after use, should cold or wet weather rot the 
seed, or insects destroy the plants that first appear. Four 
seeds in the hill and three in the drill is sufficient. The 
seed should not be put in, in the latitude of Boston, earlier 
than the 10th of May, and may be safely sown in ordinary 
seasons as late as the first of June, and success is some- 
times attained with seed planted on rich, warm land as 
late as the twentieth of June. A part and sometimes all 
of the seed planted as early as the 10th of May will 
lot in the ground; yet to get the vines along early, and 
thus enable them to survive the attacks of the squash 
bugs, fiirmers oftentimes take this risk. If, after a cold, 
wet spell, the planter mistrusts the seed have rotted in 
the ground, let him scratch away the earth carefully with 
his fingers (it is infinitely easier to put a seed under than 
to find it again ! ), and if the seed is rotten, it will readily 
shfliw it when pressed between the thumb and finger. 

Seed may be planted either by using the hoe, (dropping 
the seed, and covering with the hoe,) or each one may be 
thrust into the ground with the thumb and finger. If the 
attempt is made to push the seed under by the finger 
alone, it is frequently left too near the surface, as the 
finger is very apt to slip by it unawares. If squir- 



20 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM> ETC. 

rels or field mice abound, jt will be found safer tc plant 
with the hoe, as the little rascals appear to have a rare 
faculty for smelling out the very spot where the seeds lie 
when thrust under by the finger. I have known them to 
begin at one end of a field and pass from hill to hill in a 
straight line across the field, digging out every seed with 
unerring accuracy. Seed opened with a knife and rubbed 
with arsenic or strichnine and scattered in the paths will 
generally check them. Two inches is ample depth in any 
soil, and early in the spring, or in a rather wet or heavy 
soil, the seed had better not be planted more than from 
an inch to an inch and a half in depth. 

Seed planted on upturned sod will vegetate sooner and 
come up w^ith larger rudimentary leaves than that planted 
in rich, old ground ; I presume that this is because sod 
land lies lighter and is better drained and, consequently, 
warmer than old ground. If, when the rudimentary 
leaves appear, the seed shell adheres to either leaf, it 
will do no harm, but if it confines both leaves together, 
it should be removed, if it can be done without injury. 
li* a seed pushes but a single rudimentary leaf above the 
surface, the plant rarely, if ever, comes to anything. If 
these rudimentary leaves continue to increase in size, but 
no leaf shows itself springing from between them, the 
plant will come to nothing. If the young plants come 
with a yellow color, it proves that the season is too cold 
for them ; if, on the other hand, they assume a very dark, 
didl green color, it is usually because the manure with 
which the young rootlets are in contact is too strong for 
them; it is good policy, when the manure proves too 
strong, to carefully remove some of the earth around the 
plants with the finger, and with the finger stir in a little 
fresh earth. 

If, as at times will happen, some hills are entirely desti- 
tute of plants, it is far better to plant them with seed 
than to transplant surplus vines from other hills j true, 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, BTa 21 

such vines sometimes root at once, but if checked in their 
growth by transplanting, they rarely amount to anything 
in the end. 

This is one of the great conditions of success in squash 
culture, to have the vines start well and make a rapid 
growth without a checJc. Experience has frequently 
proved that late planted vines will oftentimes ripen their 
crops as early, and usually bear heavier crops, than those 
planted two or three weeks sooner. 

HILL CULTURE AND LEVEL CULTURE. 

After the plants appear, it is customary to draw earth 
around them ; this is a good practice as far as it tends to 
keep them from being broken off by the winds. It is 
also an almost universal custom to draw up the earth into 
a mound of two or three feet in diameter, gradually in- 
creasinf? the heij^ht of it with each hoeinoj until it is six 
inches or more above the level of the field. I consider 
the labor entirely useless, to say the least, and have con- 
fined ray own practice for several years past to level cul- 
ture, making no hills, and drawing just earth enough 
home to each plant to keep it from being swayed, and 
thus injured by the wind. 

HOEING AND CULTIVATING. 

About as soon as the plants show themselves above the 
surface, the Cultivator should be set running. If the 
hills have been made equi-distant each way, the surface 
can be cultivated close home to them on every side, leav- 
ing but little work for the hoe. In no department of 
farming is the saperiority of the Cultivator over the com- 
mon hand-hoe brought out in stronger contrast, than in 
working the large open areas between squash hills. J 



22 SQUASHES, HOW TO GEOW THEM, ETC 

would rather have the work done by a one-horse Culti- 
vator with a boy to direct the horse and a man to hold 
the implement, than have the services of twenty men 
with hand hoes ; for not only would the surface be gone 
over in equal time, but the ground be more deeply and 
more thoroughly stirred, and the weeds be better shaken up 
and turned under than would be possible with hoe cul- 
ture. The cultivator should be used as often as the 
weeds start, and whenever the surface appears hard, the 
object being two-fold, to eradicate weeds and keep the 
surface light and mellow. If witch grass abounds, the 
Cultivator must be freely used, particularly when the 
surface is hot and dry, that the vitality of the freshly 
torn roots may be destroyed. It is not well to leave 
the soil unstirred until the weeds have grown to some 
size, as such are very apt to re-root. If the Cultivator 
is used while the weeds are small, it can be spread 
open to its utmost capacity. It is always well to have 
one course of the Cultivator half overlap the preceding 
one. 

The last, and one of the most critical, periods when 
the Cultivator is needed, is just previous to the push- 
ino; out of the runners over the surface of the field. 
The vines are then growing rapidly, (I have found that 
the large varieties, by actual measurement, grow as 
much as fourteen inches m twenty-four hours), and if 
special care is not exercised, the runners will push so far 
as to prevent the final use of the Cultivator. The re- 
sult will be a very weedy field the remainder of the 
season. I have sometimes practised, when caught in 
this way, breaking the hold of the tendrils and turning 
aside with the hand such runners as had got so far 
from the hills as to be in the way of the Cultivator; 
but I have observed that where the tendrils are broken 
from whatever they have naturally clung to, as often as 
not the vines are injured so much by the wind that 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 23 

they yield little or nothing; they are so twisted that 
they are often completely inverted; and though the 
leaf stalks are true to their instincts, and bring them- 
selves perpendicular to the surface, yet in doing so, the 
curve they make, passing under the vine, lifts it a little 
above the surface, too far for the joint roots to str.'ke 
into the earth to hold the plant in place and nourish 
it. It is a bad plan ever to break the hold of the ten- 
drils, and as a general rule better allow the large weeds 
that appear towards the close of the season to remain, 
than to pull them up and tear them out from among 
the vines. If the weeds are to be removed, better cut 
them off close to the surface and leave them. A 
squash crop will foul the land at the very best, and let no 
one plant to squashes with the idea that the frequent 
cultivation allowed early in the season will tend to im- 
prove a piece of ground already foul with weeds ; for 
young weeds will spring up as soon as the spread of the 
vines prevents the farther use of the Cultivator, and 
when the leaves begin to thin out, at the close of the sea- 
son, under the stimulant of the sun and air, these soon be- 
come mammoths in the rich soil. When we consider that 
climbing appears to be natural to the squash vine, the in- 
jury caused by breaking the hold of the tendrils, and by 
the moving^ about amonoj the thick net work of vines to 
do this, in connection with the fact that at best it is next 
to impossible to keep the ground in clean condition, I 
question whether, as a general rule, it is not better to 
allow these late and large weeds to remain untouched, and 
leave the clearing of the ground to the crop of the next year. 
When the area of ground is small, and very clean cul- 
ture is desirable, I would advise the driving of a few 
stakes among the vines to give the runners a hold when 
they first push out. It is not necessary that these stakes 
should protrude more than one or two inches above the 
surface. 



24 SQUASHES, HOW TO GKOW THEM, ETC 

Many old farmers lay down the rule that no one shall 
set foot on the squash patch after the vines meet between 
the rows. This is a good general rule, for most men 
tread among vines as ruthlessly as though passing among 
wire cables, crushing them under foot with perfect impu- 
nity. I don't think I ever saw a farmer pass among even 
his own vines with what I should call proper care. If 
necessary to pass among vines, carry a short stick in one 
hand to lift the leaves to see where the foot Is to rest bo- 
fore planting it. 

SQUASHES WITH OTIfflR CROPS. 

In the vicinity of large cities, where land, manure, and 
labor are costly — and much of the market gardening in 
the vicinity of Boston, New York and Philadelpliia is 
on land worth from $500 to $1,000 an acre — flirmers 
usually grow their squashes in connection with other 
crops, such as Peas and early Cabbages or early Potatoes. 
If early Peas or Cabbages are planted in rows three feet 
apart, by omitting every third row, and planting this 
to squashes at the usual time, the crops will not inter- 
fere with each other, as the squashes do not push their 
runners till July, after the pea crop has been marketed. 
With Cabbage, the third row may be omitted, or every 
third plant in the third row;. this will give the squashes 
9x9. It will be seen that squashes can be raised only 
with the earliest varieties of Cabbage, such as Early 
Wakefield, Early Oxheart, Early York, Little Pixie, 
Burnels, King of Dwarfs, that have been started in a hot 
bed. The plan practised occasionally of growing 
squashes among corn, I consider a bad one. It is very 
common in the country to plant at the second hoeing a 
couple of seed of the Yellow Field Pumpkins in every 
third or fourth hill, and the yield is usually satisfactory 
to the farmer ; though if a field was divided in two, and 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 25 

an accurate account kept of the income from each half, I 
am inclined to believe that it would be found that what 
was gained in pumpkin was more than lost in corn. 
Squashes are more delicate in their habits than the hardy, 
rough vined pumpkin, and the result of attempting to 
grow them with corn is usually a small crop of inferior 
specimens. 

SETTING OF THE FRUIT. 

Soon after the runners have put forth, blossom buds 
will begin to appear at the junction of the leaf-stalks with 
the vine. As the buds develop, the stems will develop 
also, until the latter grow a foot or more long, a little 
longer than the leaf-stalks. The blossom now opens, 
and we have a large yellow flower, several inches in di- 
ameter, with a powerful and rich fi-agrance, very similar 
to that of a magnolia. This flower has at the center a 
yellow cylinder, about an inch in length, covered with fine 
yellow pollen. I find that many persons look for their 
squashes from this class of flowers. Squash vines have 
the sexes distinct in each flower, being what botanists call 
monoecious. These are the male flowers, and from their 
structure can never produce squashes ; their ofiice is 
wholly to supply pollen to fertilize the pistillate or female 
flowers. The first pistillate or female blossom rarely ap- 
pears nearer the root than the seventeenth leaf, or farthei 
than the twentv-third. Instead, of havinof a lonor stem to 
support it, this flower opens close down to the juncture of 
the leaf-stalk with the vine. It has a small globular for- 
mation beneath it, which is the embryo of the future 
squash. If the structure of the center of the blossom is 
examined, it wdll be found to difi'er from the tall, male 
flower, in having the central cylinder divided at the top 
into several parts, usually four, sometimes six in number. 
These are what botanists call the pistils, and it is necessary 



26 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

that the fine yellow 'dust of the male flower should touch 
these, to fertilize them, that seed may be produced, and 
consequently a squash grow — for the 'primary reason why 
a squash grows, is, to protect and afford nutriment to the 
seed, the use of it as food being a secondary matter. This 
may bo proved by so confining a blossom, that no pollen 
can get access to it, when the blossom will usually mit, 
•and the embryo squash turn yellow and decay. If the fe- 
male flower be broken off" from the embryo squash before 
the flower has come to full maturity, the squash will de- 
cay. These female blossoms are so covered and hidden by 
the tall leaves, that it is evident that the fertilizing pollen 
must be conveyed to them by the bees, to whom the 
squash field affords a remarkably rich harvest. All of the 
crossing or mixing of squashes is caused by the pollen 
from the male flowers of one variety being carried by the 
bees to the female flowers of another variety. Squashes 

ARE CROSSED OR MIXED IN THEIR SEED, AND NOT IN THE 

FRUIT. Many cultivators are in error on this point ; they 
have the very common illustration of the crossing of dif- 
ferent varieties of corn in their mind, where the mixture 
of the varieties is at once apparent to the eye, and infer 
from this, that the mixture between different varieties of 
squashes should make itself visible to the eye the same sea- 
son it occurs. A moment's reflection will correct this ; 
the crossing of the first season is always in the seed^ and 
for this reason we see it in the corn the first season, as the 
seed is immediately visible to the eye, while the various 
colors of the different varieties also aid us in the matter. 
With squashes the crossing is likewise in the seed, and 
hence can not be seen in them, until the seeds are 
planted, when the yield will show the impurity of their 
blood. But, though the crossing can not be seen in the 
squashes themselves the first season, yet, if one of the va- 
rieties planted near each other, has seed having the pecu- 
Uai*, thick, salmon-colored coating, so characteristic of 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 27 

some of the South American yarieties, this indication of 
admixture may be detected by the eye the first season. 
The parallelism between the crossing of squashes and com 
may be carried further, for it is oftentimes true with corn 
as with squashes, that there is a mixing of varieties, of 
which no indication can be detected in the seed by the eye 
the first season, which a second season will develop — what 
was before an eight-rowed variety, into a ten or twelve- 
rowed sort, or dark kernels may be replaced with white 
ones, and by numerous similar freaks, bring to light an 
admixture of varieties. 

It is of considerable practical importance, that the law 
of admixture should be clearly understood, that the risk, 
incidental to planting seed from squashes that loqh pure, 
should be generally known ; for it will be seen from what 
I have written, that seed taken from squashes that ex- 
ternally are perfect types of their kinds, may yield a 
patch, where every one may show marks of impurity. 
Again, no matter how many varieties are planted together, 
no crossing from the result of that planting will be seen 
in the external shape^ color ^ or appearaiice of the crop the 
same season. 

To have squash seed pure, the squashes from which they 
are taken, must have been grown isolated, and this not 
only one season, but for a succession of seasons. Should 
several varieties of squashes be grown together, and it be 
desirable to keep one variety pure, it can be done by pre- 
venting any male flowers of the other varieties from ma 
taring — no easy job, as those who have tried it know. The 
product of any particular blossom may be kept pure under 
such circumstances by covering with fine muslin, remov- 
ing it only to fertihze with pollen from a male flower of 
its own vine. 

The location of the female blossom, in a measure cover- 
ed by the leaves, and low down, but little affected by the 
wiudj would render it probable that it depends for fertili- 



28 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, BTC. 

zation on the bees, rather than on the wind ; and the fact 
(as a friend who has tested it, informs me) that if only a 
high fence intervenes between two Yarieties,tlie admixture 
between them is comparatively small, corroborates this 
theory. To preserve the degree of purHy that is neces- 
sary in raising different varieties, requires planting at dis- 
tances apart varying with the natural aspect of the coun- 
try ; a level tract requires longer distances than would 
be necessary in an undulating country, and a space inter- 
vening abounding in flowers is a better protection 
than an equal distance where flowers are less numerous. 
The object is to get the pollen removed from the thighs 
or bodies of the bees, or have it covered by the pollen of 
other flowers, before they can pass from a field of one va- 
riety of squash to that of another. My own practice is, to 
secure the planting of one continuous district of country 
with the same variety of squash, by giving to farmers, 
whose lands are near my own, my stock seed for their own 
planting. Even with this precaution matters will have to 
be looked after, lest after all promise to the contrary, greed 
can not muster sufficient moral courage to induce them 
to pull up the transient vines that spring up from the ma- 
nure among potatoes or other crops. Old farmers will pro- 
fess, from the appearance of the calyx end, to classify 
squashes as male or female ; this is all nonsense, for, as 
will be inferred from what has been stated, every seed 
from every squash contains the two sexes in itself, in its 
capacity to produce both male and female flowers. 

Squash fields usually make about three settings of fruit. 
I do not mean by this that each vine makes three settings, 
but that this is usually true of a field as a whole. It often 
happens, that most of one of their settings, usually the 
second, turn yellow and rot, after many of the squashes 
reach the size of goose eggs. This is very apt to take 
place, should there be a cold, wet spell just after they 
have set. Sonaetiraes all three of the settings will grow 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 29 

and then stories of great crops will be heard of in the 
squash districts. When a young H ibbard squash is mak- 
ing a fine growth, it will have a shining green appearance, 
as though just varnished. If the appearance of the squash 
changes to a dull green color, the days of that squash are 
numbered ; it will soon shrivel and decay. 

PINCHING VINES. 

I have seen a vine perfect the growth of a squash 20 lbs. 
in weight, though it had been cut off within a foot of 
the squash when it had reached the size of an orange, and 
another squash of about the same size was also matured 
on the same vine, about four feet nearer the root. The 
vine was highly manured, and grew on very deep and 
rather moist muck and loam. I can not yet determine the 
laws which govern the art of pruning vines. I have had 
some, the young squashes of which appeared to do finely 
after the extremities of the runners were nipped at near 
the close of the season, and others, where the young 
squashes turned yellow and died, under, seemingly, pre- 
cisely the same circumstance. I am inclined to think, 
that it is not well to pinch off the ends of the vines be- 
fore the young squashes have attained to the size of a 
large orange. How far a crop of squashes might be in- 
creased by the nipping of the vines, or a pruning of the 
roots, is a problem yet to be settled. The use of the 
cultivator just before the vines spread, must do much 
in the way of root-pruning the vines. 

THE RIPENING AND GATHERING OF THE 

CROP. 

In seasons, in which the early part of summer is cold, 
farmers sometimes get almost discouraged with the small 
number of squashes that set, and the slow growth of such 



30 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

as do form, but a few hot weeks may entirely change 
the aspect of affairs. 

When we have good corn weather, it takes but a few 
weeks to mature a squash. I have known instances when 
the first fruit set was completely destroyed by a hail storm, 
which occurred in September, and yet a fine crop of 
squashes was gathered from the vines. When June and 
July are colder than usual, farmers will often come out 
from an examination of their squash patch with a signifi- 
cant shake of the head, yet I have never known a season, in 
which cold or wet prevented the growing of a fair crop 
of squashes on land selected with judgment, well ma- 
nured, and taken care of. The degree of ripening to 
which the crop attains, will be affected by a cold and wet 
season, but the chances of a crop are equally good with a 
season wetter and consequently colder than usual, as with 
a season hotter and dryer than ordinary, for, in addition 
to the check to their development caused by a drought, 
the bugs are most numerous and active in a dry time. 

Eipening is indicated in the soft or fleshy stemmed 
squashes, such as the Hubbard, Marrow, and Turban, by 
the drying of the stem, which shrinks just where it 
joins the squash, and a dead, punk-like appearance 
which it assumes. The leaves near the root gradually 
turn yellow and dry up, and the squashes themselves 
change color ; the Hubbard assuming a duller, more rus- 
set color, and the Marrow and Turban sorts a deeper 
orange. The skin of the* Marrow and Turban will now 
offer more resistance to the thumb-nail, while the Hubbard 
will begin to put on a shell, which will be first detected 
near the stem end. It is a singular fact, that the shell ol 
the Hubbard squash usually begins to form on the under 
side — the part towards the ground. When this stage is 
reached, squashes can be safely cut for storage. 

At some seasons, a large portion of the crop, and, at 
most seasons, a small portion of the crop, just before 



SQUASHES, HOv^^ TO GROW THEM, ETC. 31 

ripening, are affected by a blight, which turns the leaves 
black near the hills, when they die down, and all the signs 
of early maturity are presented to the inexperienced eye. 
When the process of ripening goes on naturally, the ex- 
posure to the sun's rays, after the leaves have died, does 
no harm, but promotes the full maturing of the squash ; 
but when squashes become exposed before the natural 
time, by the blighting of the leaves, they are, particularly 
if of the hard-shelled kinds, apt to be ''sunscalt/' as the 
term is, by which is meant a bleaching, or wiiitening of 
the part most exposed to the sun. Such squashes rarely 
form shells, and, if badly scalded, are apt to rot at the part 
affected. In cutting squashes from the vines, a large and 
sharp knife is needed. There are two ways to cut squashes 
from the vines ; one is, to cut the vint, leaving a small 
piece attached to the stem. By so doing, the stem does 
not dry up so readily, and as large stems, when green, will 
weigh as much as a quarter of a pound, if squashes are to 
be sold soon after gathering, this makes considerable addi- 
tion to their weight. Narrow, selfish men sometimes cut 
their squashes this way. 

The usual way is, to cut the stem from the vine. When 
first cut, more or less sap will run out in a stream from 
the hollow stem, though the squash may be fully ripe. 

A CRITICAL PERIOD. 

What shall be done with the squashes after they are cut 
from the vines ? The stems need a little exposure to the sun 
to scar them, and the earth, which adheres to those grown 
on low land, should be carefully rubbed off while moist, 
as soon as the squashes are cut. A good way to accomplish 
this, is, to let the squash remain where it is (fut, provided 
the leaves do not shade it, care being taken to give it & 
turn, to bring the under side up to the sun. 

If there is danger from frost, it is better to gather them 



33 SQtr ASHES, HOW TO GROW IHEM, ETC. 

together at convenient distances, that they may be more 
readily protected. The interval between the cutting of 
squashes and the storing of them is a critical period, as 
oftentimes the keeping of the crop depends upon the 
course then taken. There is a pernicious practice, quite 
prevalent, of placing them in piles as high as can be made, 
without their rolling off. Should frost threaten, tliis, of 
course, is necessary in order that the mass may be the 
more readily covered with vines to protect them ; but 
when so piled, as soon as danger from frost is over, they 
should at once be taken down, so that all may be exposed as 
much as possible to the sun and air. Farmers, in handling 
squashes at this period, are apt to lose sight of one im- 
portant fact, viz. : that when a squash is cut from the vine, 
its vitality is impaired, and it has no longer such power to 
resist the effects of atmospheric changes as it had previous 
to the separation. I say its vitality is " impaired," for 
the fact tliat the seed continues to fill out for a month or 
two after the squashes are gathered and stored, proves 
that there is a degree of vitality, however feeble, yet 
remaining in the squash after separation from the vine. 
The fact that sap exudes and gradually thickens into 
tears, or, at times, runs in a stream from the stems 
when cut, no matter how ripe a soft stemmed squash 
may appear to be, seems to prove that some vital function 
of the sap vessels has been disturbed ; while the greater 
readiness with which such squashes decay, carries us be- 
yond theory to the fact of a diminished vitality. I have 
known the lower layer of a lot of Marrow squashes in the 
field, to be found rotten through and through on removal — 
and this when there had been no frost to injure them — the 
result being due wholly to the dampness of the ground, dur- 
ing a rainy interval, acting on a diminished vitality. 

I have known instances in which lots of Marrow squashes 
that had never been touched by frost, and were perfectly 
sound when stored, were suddenly covered with spots of 



SQFASHES, HOW TO GROW THE^f, ETC. 33 

black rot, soon after they were put into a dry apartment. 
These lots had been exposed in the field in piles during 
a series of days of cold rain. The practical lesson to be 
drawn from such facts is, thnt squashes should never be 
left in the fields exposed to cold rains after cutting. 

After the stems have had the sun a couple of days to 
dry and sear them, and even before, if cold, wet storms 
threaten, the squashes should be piled with great care on 
spring wagons, and taken from the field. The rule should 
be laid down as invariable, that no squash shall be drop- 
ped in any stage of its progress, from the field to the 
market ; they should always be laid down. 

THE STORING OF THE CROP. 

Squashes are usually at their lowest price in the fall of 
the year, after the crop has been gathered, and before the 
first severe frosts. The crop being bulky, and requiring 
dry storage, farmers are intent on getting it to market be- 
fore cold weather sets in. After the first severe freezing 
weather, the crop is usually held at a higher figure, as the 
surplus not intended for storage has been disposed of In 
the immediate vicinity of the large cities of the North, a 
large proportion of the crop is stored in buildings known 
as " squash-houses," to be marketed during the winter and 
spring months. These buildings are oftentimes old dwelling- 
houses, school-houses, or ware-houses, removed from their 
original locations to the farm, and then put to this second- 
ary use. I present a vertical section of my own squash- 
house, by which the general features of all of them can 
be seen at a glance. 

In dimensions, the building is about 24 x 35 feet, with a 
height of 10 feet to the plates. It is divided into three 
rows of bins, which are separated from each other and 
the sides of the building by aisles, {A^ A, A^ about 26 
inches in width,a distance which admits of the easy handling 
8* 






SQUASHES, now TO GROW TIIEM, ETC. 



of .1 bushel basket, or bjirrcl. Tlic bins, (7>, JB, J3,) are 
about 5 foot wide, 26 inches high, and 25'/^ feet long. The 
uprights, which support tlie series of bins, are snin]] joists, 
2x4 inches, Avitli cross-ties of incli or incli and a quarter 
board sunk into tlieni, on which the several platforms are 
laid. These npriglits are tlie width of the bins apart, 
viz. : 5^ feet. At the edo-es of the bins, boards, 6 inches 




y///,'/,VW///M//////,', 



vmmm///m.'/m. 



iv/orH jps rr: 

SECTION OF SQTTASII-HOUSE. 



wide, are laid, to prevent the squashes fioui rolling out. 
Tliese boards should be planed on tlie iinun*, upper edge, 
that they may not cut into the squashes that lean upon 
them. The series of floors are made of strips of board, 
fioni four to six inches wide, nailed about half an inch 
apart, to allow a circulation of air. It is well to have 
the lower floor a suthcient distance from the floor of the 
squash-house, to permit a cat to go under. The cellar wall 
should be carried close up to the floor, by fllling in front 
of the timbers with brick, or small stones and niortar ; 
this will prevent rats from working through. As the 
building is designed to support much Aveight, it should be 
strongly braced by timbers crossing from })late timber to 
plate timber, to]>revent spreading, while the cross-timbers, 
in the cellar, require ])rops of masonry, or joist. To eco- 



BQIT ASHES, ITOW TO OJIOW THEM, ETC. 85 

nomize in fuel, on the two coldest sides, my squaBh-honso 
is double plastered, and lias double windows all around; 
some hnvc inner wooden shutters to each window, which 
are kept up during cold weather, both day and night, only 
as much light being admitted, at times, as may be neces 
sary, while attending to work. The roof has five sliding 
windows, which assist in ventilation and give light to the 
upper i)art of the building, that otherwise would be quite 
dark when filled with squashes. The stove is at one of 
the coldest corners, with a funnel ])a8sing across to a 
chimney at the opposite corner. A building of the nbove 
proportions will hold about one ton of Hubbard squashes 
to two bins, and by careful and close stowage in all avail- 
able room, it can be made to hold about sixty tons. 

There is an advantage in having a low, wide building 
rather than a high and narrow one, as a greater portion of 
it is accessible i'rom the floor, it is less exposed to cohl 
winds, and the heat is more evenly distributed. In a high 
building, the heat in the upper portion is apt to be excessive. 

The squ:ishes should l)e brought to the squash-house in a 
dry condition, and be stored before dew falls. The stems 
being yet green, the squashes should be so piled as to 
bring these to the outside as much as possible. In placing 
the squashes on the shelves, put the largest ones on the bot- 
tom, giving them all a slant in one direction ; they will 
thus pack better, and the uniformity will be agreeable to 
the eye. From the beginning of the storing, every win- 
dow and door should be kept open during fair weather, 
and a fire at the same time will help in the drying of the 
stems. Should there come a damp time of one day or 
more, by all means start the fire. The stems will be apt to 
mould some, and the air of the building have a disagree- 
able smell if they decay, though a little moulding may 
always be expected. In about three weeks from the time 
of storing, the stems will be dry. In handling the squashes, 
I need hardly reiterate the caution of care. My practice 



> 



86 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETa 

is to form a string of boys, from the wagon to the 
shelves, and the squashes are tossed from one to another, 
with the caution to handle them like eggs. Boys well 
trained will not drop more than one squiish to the ton, and 
I have known my boys to pass several tons without drop 
ping a single squash. 

CARE DURING THE WINTER. 

If the squash-house has been built with reference to 
warmth^ when once filled with squashes, it is surprising 
with what little fire frost can be kept out. The mass of 
squashes are, in themselves, a great store-house of heat, 
and with inside shutters for the coldest weather, the 
building is frost proof, with a small outlay of fuel. 

In my own building, capable of storing sixty tons or 
more, I have a salamander stove of capacity sufficient to 
hold two hods of coal. In ordinary winter weather two 
hods of fresh, and a hod of sifted coal for night use, will last 
about twenty-four hours. To keep the fire over night, I 
leave the cover off about half an inch, and, if very windy, 
also put up the door in front within half an inch of closed. 
When I first attempted to keep squashes during the winter 
in very cold weather, I frequently sat up till midnight, and 
then retired with much anxiety, lest Jack Frost should 
steal a march on me before morning ; but from experience 
I find that a salamander can be as well regulated and as 
readily controlled as a Magee stove, while the greater 
length of funnel that can be used with them, by reason 
of their superior draft, is a decided advantage. 

No one can keep squashes to the best advantage, until 
he has fully learned to so control his fire as to keep the 
temperature near the freezing point, and yet not endanger 
the squashes. From a want of this knowledge, almost all 
squash -nouses are kept at too high a temperature, and, as 
a consequence, the squashes lose in weight and quality^ 
and, if they are Hubbards, in appearance also, losing their 



SQtTASHES, HOW TO GBOW THEM, ETC. 37 

fine dark green color, and becoming of a reddish, rusty hue. 
The best temperature is as low as forty degrees. After 
squashes are stored, the great desiderata are a low tem- 
perature and a dry air. Should the weather be mild in the 
course of the winter, never be tempted to open the win- 
dows unleos the air is dry^ — a very rare thing in winter, 
as, on most mild winter days, the air is loaded with moist- 
ure. If it is desirable to air the squash-house, select a dry 
day when not very cold, start up the fire and open the 
windows at the roof. Squashes that were grown in a wet 
season, will rot most in winter, and vice versa. Other 
things equal, the keeping of squashes depends greatly on 
the hygrometric state of the air — in other words, the 
dryer the air the better they will keep. This is the reason 
squashes keep better in a squash-house than in a cellar — 
the house is no warmer than a cellar, but the air is dryer. 
In dry, sandy cellars, by the aid of a fire, they can be kept 
about as well as in a squash-house. Squashes in dry 
cellars will usually keep very well until January, and some- 
times to the first of February, particularly if the damp, 
external air can be kept from them. Several years ago I 
lost not far from twenty-five tons of squashes in about ten 
days, as I now believe, from having admitted the warm, 
damp air of a January thaw into the cellar. After squashes 
are- stored, the less they can be handled the better; and 
in cellars, it is oftentimes better to let a few rot than to 
overhaul squashes late in the season with reference to 
culling out the rotten ones, for, after such overhauling, 
they usually decay faster than before. Cellar-kept 
squashes have some advantages over these kept in a squash- 
house ; they keep their original rich green color, lose but 
little or none in weight and are of better quaUty. They 
do not keep as long, and, if the cellar was to any degree 
damp, they quickly perish when sent late to market. This 
fact is now generally known to dealers, and they hesitate 
to purchase cellar-kept squashes late in winter. The win- 



38 SQUASHES, HOW TO GEOW THEM, ETC. 

ter of 1866-7 was a memorable one among the squash 
men of Massachusetts. Squashes being remarkably plenty 
and cheap in the fall, every squash-house in the vicinity of 
Boston was filled to overflowing. As the season advaiiced, 
squashes began to show a remarkable tendency to rot, and 
the result was that, in many cases, as large a proportion 
as four-fifths of the crop rotted before spring opened. The 
summer previous had been unusually wet and cold. 

If apples, squashes, or any other fruits are gathered 
ripe, the next step is to decay ; but if they are not fully 
ripe, they have this intermediate step to take before de- 
caying. Heat is an agent in promoting progress in each 
of these steps ; hence, the less heat above a freezing temper- 
ature in which squashes can be kept, other conditions 
being equal, the longer they will keep. 

The very small squashes which are usually given to stock 
as soon as gathered, are among the very best for keeping, 
provided they are stored in the warmest part of the build- 
ing. Late in spring they are salable at a high figure for 
cooking purposes. Out of about five hundred pounds of 
such squashes stored so near my salamander that the 
outer tier cooked with the heat, I found but about ten 
pounds of defective squash when I overhauled them 
for the first time, near April. Squashes planted about the 
first of June will usually keep better than those planted 
earlier, on the same principle that the Roxbury Russet, 
and Baldwin, keep better than the Porter, or Sweet Bough 
apple, the former not being ripe when gathered. The 
order in nature is that fruit shall ripen before it decays. 

MARKETING THE CROP. 

Squashes are sold by the squash, by the pound, and by 
the barrel. Sales of the fall and winter varieties by the 
squash arc altogether unknown in the Eastern States, at 
least so fur as my knowledge extends. In the markets 
of New England, after the summer squashes, of which 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GBOW THEM, ETC. 39 

there is but a limited demand, the Marrow and Turban are 
brought to market, and, before frosty weather sets in, 
they are sold by the barrel or ton to the dealers. Late in 
the fall the Hubbards begin to come to market, or if 
sold just after gathering, are rather forced on the 
market, the Marrow and Turban being usually recognized 
as the squashes for fiiU use. During the winter, the sup- 
ply from the squash-houses around Boston is mostly 
brought to market in barrels, and sold by the barrel with- 
out weighing. This is poor practice, as there is often a 
number of pounds difference made by the thickness of 
the squash, its size, the packing, and the size of the barrel. 
Such a system of marketing is apt to temj^t to petty trick- 
eiy. 

A greater or less proportion of stored squashes will 
decay under the most favorable circumstances. It is the 
policy of the squash grower to lose as little as possible in 
this way, and the custom of the markets of Boston usually 
allows a little latitude in this matter. Hence, particularly 
as the season advances, one or more squashes that have 
small rotten spots on them, are often packed in a barrel. 
The Hubbard is a very deceiving squash ; it may be en- 
tirely rotten inside, and yet, to inexperienced eyes, appear 
perfectly sound without. If the outside has white mould 
spots, looking like some of the concentric mosses, the 
squash is usually sound underneath the shell ; but if these 
mould spots are greenish or yellow, it is usually soft rotten 
m a spot just beneath them. If the shell at either end, 
(and the Hubbard usually begins to decay at the ends), 
has a watery look outside, the squash is usually consider 
ably decayed underneath. If the Hubbard is very light, 
it has usually the dry rot inside ; if remarkably heavy, it 
is sometimes water-soaken and worthless. If a squash, 
on being cut, proves to be water-soaken, a close exami- 
nation will usually show some small opening, where, during 
some stage of its growth, the air or water found entrance. 



40 .SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

FROST-BITTEN SQUASHES. 

With the utmost care, squashes will at times get frost- 
bitten. The Marrows and Turbans show this by turning 
to a darlier orange color on the injured j^art. If as 
much as one-half of a squash has been frozen, it is 
affected all through, and will certainly soon decay ; the 
best disposition to make of such a squash is, to keep 
it very cool until it can be fed to the stock. If less 
than half has been frozen, before the sun shines on it, 
turn that side to the ground, excluding the light as 
much as possible ; this will take out the frost and save 
it, if any remedy will, though such a squash is always 
unreliable property. Some years ago I had a load of 
Marrow squashes brought me, which had been stored in 
a barn during a cold spell, and the outer tiers had been 
frost-bitten. I separated the badly injured ones, put- 
ting them, frozen side down, in a dark cellar on the 
damp earth, and stored such as showed no signs of injury 
on the shelves. In a few days no signs of the trouble 
could be seen on those stored in the cellar, and they kept 
apparently as well as though they had never been injured, 
while those stored on the shelves soon rotted badly. The 
hard-shelled squashes are not as much injured by frost as 
are the Marrow and Turban; if the squash has a shell, the 
result will usually be the production of a dry rot under 
the shell as far as the injury extended, and no further. I 
have cut Hubbard squashes in February that had been 
frozen in November, for about five inches square of their 
surface, and found all the injury limited to this space. 

MARKET PRICES OF SQUASHES. 

Marrow squashes have varied in price in tlie markets 
of New England from $10 to $40 per ton ; these varia- 
tions are caused, for the most part, by tlie quantity 
brought to market, for, though equal areas may be 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 41 

planted, there may be all this difference, owing to effect 
of drouth, or the greater prevalence of insects in one 
season over another. 

Prior to the war, the Marrow ruled in the market at 
from 115 to $20 per ton, and the Hubbard at from 120 to 
$25. The extremes of prices of the Turban and Hubbard 
have been from $20 to $50 ; the average having been 
nearly $34. These are the market rates just after the 
crop is gathered. As the season advances, prices have 
sometimes risen to 50, 60, 70, 80, and 100 dollars per 
ton, and occasional lots kept late into the spring, and 
sold by the barrel, have brought as high as $140 per ton. 
I once sold four tons for $400; yet so very poorly did the 
crop keep that winter, the profit would have been equally 
great had I sold at $25 per ton in the fall. 

Squash-farmiug, on lands pushed well out into the 
ocean, has some advantages over inland farming. Neither 
the cabbage or turnip fly, nor the pea bug, squash bug, or 
any other destructive insect — the Colorado beetle excepted 
—is nearly as prevalent in such sections as just back from 
the coast, while the temperature being three or four de- 
grees higher late in the fall, usually carries the crop 
through the first severe frost, and gives it the advan- 
tage of two or three weeks of the good ripening weather, 
which frequently precedes the severe frosts that usher in 
winter. I have known years when the maggots and bugs 
proved so destructive to the vines, a few miles from the 
coast, as to bring sqnashes np to $40 and $50 the ton, 
while at the sea side the crop was as large as usual, 
having received but little or no injury. 

EXPORTING TO FOREIGN MARKETS. 

Squashes cannot be raised successfully in the British 
Islands, although the average temperature there is higher 
than ours. That period of intense heat which we call 



42 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

our *^corn weather," is unknown to the English, and 
hence they cannot succeed in the open ground with our 
liot-weather loving plants, such as beans, corn, melons, 
cucumbers, and squashes. 

Wliile in London in the year 1872, I found by inquiry 
at Oovent Garden Market — the great market of the me- 
tropolis — that the squashes of our country were unknown 
to the market-men. I made arrangements to ship them 
a ton as an experiment. Ou returning home I prepared 
a description of our standard varieties, told the facts 
relative to their general use in this country, and giive 
instruction in the various ways of preparing them for 
the table, as simply cooked squash, and also in the form 
of puddings and pies. 

In answer to my inquiry how the English people liked 
our American squashes, the reply came that my agent 
had no means of knowing, for, as far as he had been 
able to ascertain, the whole shipment had been bought up 
by shop-keepers to show as curiosities in their windows. 
Further correspondence developed the fact that if they 
could be sold in Covent Garden Market at a shilling 
(twenty-five cents) apiece, very likely a large business 
could be done in them. I shipped my squashes by way 
of Liverpool, and the transportation overland from tluit 
port to London cost as much as the freight across the 
Atlantic; this, in addition to the other expenses, would 
have so much reduced the profits that at twenty-five 
cents each the margin on squashes costing twenty dol- 
lars per ton in this country, would have been too small 
to make the business inviting. Now that we have direct 
communication by steamer with London, it would be 
wise for some enterprising Yankee to try the experiment 
again. I would advise the shipping of none but the 
hard-shelled varieties, and only the ripest of these, as 
the damp hold of a transatlantic steamer makes a very 
poor squash-house. 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 43 

SQUASHES FOR STOCK. 

When a large quantity of squashes is stored, there will 
always be more or less waste. If in a large town, many 
of the spotted squashes can be most protitably handled 
by cutting out the decayed portion, and marketing the 
squash at a reduced price. It has been my practice for 
years to dispose of many of my defective squashes in this 
way, and the sales of these arc a fair index of the com- 
parative popularity of the Autumnal Marrow, Turban, 
and Hubbard squashes, in a community where they have 
all been grown for years, and are well known. The 
sales of my market-man would average, late in the fall 
and in early winter, ten pounds of Hubbard and Turban 
to one pound of the Marrow, though he offered the Mar- 
row at one-third the price of the Hubbard and Turban. 
After many trials I have found it next to impossible to 
dispose of the Marrow while having a stock of Hubbard 
and Turban, hence I have adopted the plan of feeding 
the former to my stock. 

I have fed principally to horned cattle and pigs. The 
squashes should first have the seeds removed, as these tend 
to dry up milch cows, or, if fed to pigs, to cause them to 
urinate very freely. The Marrow should be fed to horned 
stock either in rather large pieces or in quite small ones, 
to prevent choking. The Hubbard should always be cut 
in-to pieces not less than three inches square, as the shell 
and the curved form of large pieces combined, are too 
much for the cattle to manage. 

If squashes are abundant they may be fed very liberally, 
a bushel and more a day for each head ; the only danger 
to be guarded against is, that they may relax the animals 
too much. In value for milk purposes, they appear co 
combine the good qualities of tlie Mangold Wurtzel and 
the Carrot, both increasing the flow of milk and improv- 
ing its quality. This is more particularly true of the 



44 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

Hubbard and Turban varieties. For fattening purposes, 
the Hubbard is excellent, as might be anticipated from 
the large proportion of sugar which is develojjed in it at 
the approach of winter. I have known a cow to be fatted 
for the butcher on the Hubbard squash, used in connec- 
tion with good English hay. 

In feeding to pigs, it can be used raw, or boiled with 
meal, or meal and scraps. My usual practice has been to 
boil the squash in a Mott's boiler, about a barrel and a 
half at a time, adding a peck of beef or pork scraps, 
broken into small pieces, and stirring in sufficient meal 
to thicken it. When cooked, it should be cooled as soon 
as possible, as the squash is very apt to sour and make the 
mass thin and somewhat unpalatable to the animals. I 
have known a sow with young to be kept wholly on raw 
Hubbard squashes, and on her coming in to be in better 
condition than was desirable. When hogs are fed almost 
exclusively on them, squashes are apt to give the fat a 
yellow tinge. 

Squashes might be raised for cattle among corn, as 
pumpkins are (they are better food for animals than 
pumpkins), though I have doubts of the profitableness of 
such double crops, where each makes its growth and ma- 
tures at about the same time. 

No doubt an improvement on this is, to omit every 
third row of corn, and give the vacant space to the 
squash hills. Among seed onions, I grow squashes with 
little or no apparent detriment to either ; but in this 
case the crops are planted and mature with more than a 
month's difference between them at each end of the sea- 
son. Besides horned cattle and hogs, many horses, goats, 
poultry, and rabbits will eat squashes with avidity. 

As to their comparative value as food for stock, each 
grower must strike the balance for himself — the facts 
being, that the yield is from one-fourth to one-third as 
great as carrots, and from one-fourth to one-fifth as great 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 45 

as mangolds, while tliey require but a fraction of the care 
in cultivation and gathering that either of these crops do. 
A number of years ago, I made a somewhat careful test 
to determine the money value of squashes when fed to 
milch cows, considering the three points — their fatten- 
ing properties and their effect on the quantity and quality 
of the milk. I found that the animals ate but little hay 
when fed freely on cut squash ; they gained markedly in 
flesh, their milk was richer, and the quantity much 
greater. The result of the experiment was, that when fed 
to milch cows, ripe squashes were worth, under the above 
three heads, half a cent a ]30und. Their worth for either 
fattening, milk, or butter alone, my experiment did not 
determine. 

VARIETIES OF SQUASHES. 

-Owing to the great tendency in the varieties of the Cu- 
curbitaceous Family to cross with each other, hybrids are 
very common. Seed planted the first season after the 
crossing has been made, will usually produce a greater 
crop than either of the parent kinds, and individual 
squashes will be superior in quality to either of the pa- 
rents ; yet, as a rule, hybridization is not desirable, for 
after the first season, there may be a deterioration in the 
quality below the average of the parent kinds, while the 
mixed are not so marketable as the pure varieties. 

Hubbard Squash. — I have traced the history of this 
squash back to about 1798, when the first specimen was 
brought into Marblehead by a market-man named Green, 
who lived in the vicinity of Boston. The person who, 
when a girl, ate of the first specimen, died recently, aged 
ninety-three years. She recalled the form, which is 
very much like the present one — turned up ^' like a 
Chinese shoe." It is now over thirty years since the 
variety was first brought to our notice by our old washer- 



46 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



woman, named Hubbard ; and, to distinguish it from a 
blue variety that we were then raising, we called it 
^^ Ma'am Hubbard's Squash"; and when the seed be- 
came a commercial article, and it was necessary to give 
it a fixed name, I called it the Hubbard squash. If 
I had been able at the time to forecast its present fame, 
and had I foreseen that it would become the established 
winter variety throughout the squash-growing region, I 
might have bestowed some more ambitious name ; and 
again I might not, for the old lady was faithful in her 




HUBBARD SQUASH. 

narrow sphere to lier day and generation — a good, humble 
soul — and it pleases me to think that the name of such 
an one has become famous. 

The form of the Hubbard is spherical at the middle, 
gradually receding to a neck at the stem end, and to a 
point, usually curved, at the calyx end, where it termi- 
nates in a kind of button or an acorn. In color it is dark 
green, excepting where it rests on the earth, where it is of 
an orange color. It usually has streaks of dirty white, 
beginning at the calyx end, where the ribs meet, and ex- 
tending half or two-thirds way to the stem. After the 
squash ripens, the surface exposed to the sun turns to a 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 47 

dirty brown color. The surface is often rather rough, 
presenting quite a knotty appearance. When the Hub- 
bard is ripe, it has a shell, varying in thickness, from 
that of a cent to a Spanish dollar. 

For a year or two after we began to cultivate the Hub- 
bard, we cultivated also a blue-colored squash, called at 
the time the Middleton Blue. In a few years this squash 
became so thoroughly incorporated with the Hubbard, by 
repeated crossings, that it appeared to liave the charac- 
teristics of a new variety ; hence we called it the Blue 
Hubbard, and for some years I spoke of two varieties of 
the Hubbard, a green and a blue kind. On testing the 
blue variety by itself, I found it had the characteristics 
of all hybrids — a tendency to sport. For this reason I 
have endeavored to throw it entirely out of cultivation in 
my seed stock. 

After the Hubbard squash became somewhat noted, 
communications to the press occasionally appeared, claim- 
ing that it was but an old variety revived. After giving 
all of these many claims a fair examination, I am per- 
suaded that the Hubbard is not an old variety revived, 
and that until it was sent out from Marblehead it was 
unknown in the United States. In my endeavors to trace 
its origin, the nearest I have come to it was in a variety 
of squash procured from one of the West India Islands, 
which had many characteristics in common with the 
Hubbard, though the shell of this squash was uniformly 
blue in color, and its quality was somewhat inferior. 

Several claimed that it was but the Sweet Potato 
squash revived. I have myself raised a squash called 
by that name, and have seen two or more other lots 
that were raised by friends, from seed procured in dif- 
ferent sections of the United States, and never have 
seen one that resembled the green Hubbard. 

The apparent connection between the Sweet Potato and 
Hubbard squash has been made, I am convinced, through 



48 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



the blue variety, which, when without a shell, has a 
close resemblance to some of those kinds that go by 
the name of ''Sweet Potato" squash. 

American Turban Squash.— I have given the prefix 
American Turban Squash to distinguish it from the 
French Turban, with which many seedsmen have con- 
founded it. The French Turban is the most beautiful in 
color, and the most worthless in quality, of all the varie- 
ties of squash that have come to 
my notice. Nearly flat in shape, 
growing to weigh ten to twenty 
pounds, it has a large prominence 
at the calyx, shaped like a flat- 
tened acorn ; this is elegantly 
quartered, with a button in the 
middle, and is most beautifully 
striped with white and a bright 
grass green, while a setting of 
bead-work surrounds it. The 
AMERICAN TURBAN SQUASH, body of tlic squash is of the 
richest orange color. In quality the French Turban is 
coarse, watery, and insipid. 

The American Turban is, without doubt, a combination 
of the Hubbard, Autumnal Marrow, Acorn, and French 
Turban, and the finest achievement that has as yet been 
obtained by hybridization. Like all hybrids, it tends to 
sport, and varies somewhat in quality, so that, while most 
of the squashes are of first quality, some will be found that 
are inferior. With such parents as the Hubbard, Acorn, 
and the Autumnal Marrow, we might expect to find a 
superior squash, and in the average quality of the Turban 
we shall not be disappointed ; when fully ripened, it has 
dryness, fineness of grain, sweetness, delicacy of flavor, 
and richness of color. Like the Hubbard, it is edible be- 
fore it is fully ripe ; either of these varieties, particularly 




SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 49 

the Hubbard, being, when unripe, superior for table use to 
any of the varieties of Summer Squashes. The form of 
the American Turban is nearly cylindrical, the two di- 
ameters being usually in the proportion of three to five, 
while it is more or less flat at both the stem and calyx 
.ends. At the calyx end there is usually a more or less 
prominent acorn. This may be very clearly defined, 
standing out quite prominently from the body of the 
squash, or it may be very much flattened and sunk within 
the body, with the outline barely traceable. In degree of 
prominence the acorn sports greatly, for, on squashes 
growing on the same vine, I have found, in one specimen, 
tliis part projecting very prominently, and fully devel- 
oped, while on a second specimen it could only be traced 
in a very rudimentary form. It is not desirable that 
the acorn should be prominent, as the seeds extend into 
it ; at the calyx end of the squash, the meat is very 
thru, and, if the acorn is very prominent, a slight bruise 
will injure it, and cause the squash to rot. For this 
reason, I have of late years selected seed squashes from 
those specimens in which the acorn was not very promi- 
nently displayed, endeavoring to produce a type in which 
it should be little more than rudimentary. 

Some writers on vegetables treat the American Turban 
squash as but an improved form of the French Turban, 
whereas it is a distinct variety. It is indebted to the 
French Turban for nothing more than the principal fea- 
tures of its form, getting its quality, keeping properties, 
color, and fineness of grain, from its other parents. As 
the American Turban is the result of hybridization, there 
is more or less variety in the shape and color of the crop; 
and this will continue to be so, unless, by long and close 
cultivation of a particular form, sufficient individuality 
shall be acquired by this one type to stamp the entire 
crop. Though it may be very pleasing to the eye to 
see every specimen alike, yet I consider it too great a 
3 



50 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW TKEM, ETC. 

risk to cultivate a hybrid squasli for this end ; for who 
knows what characteristics each parent has contributed, 
or how much tiiesc are affected by each other in combi- 
nation ? Until these points are determinetl, there is dan- 
ger lest, in continued selections of a given type, some 
good traits should be climimited. 

We know that, in some Avay, the original excellence of 
the Autumnal Marrow squash has been lost, and no one 
can, with certainty, tell when or how tliis disappeared ; 
an admixture of other sorts was doubtless the first step 
toAvards this deterioration, and we are inclined to believe 
that a tendency to give prominence to some of the results 
of the first admixture, has gradually borne under the 
good traits of the original Marrow. 

Aiitiiiimal Marrow Squash. — This is also known as 
the Boston Marrow, or Marrow, it having been a very 
})rominent squash in the markets of Boston for a series 
of years. A mongrel variety of it is also known as the 
*' Cambridge Marrows" This squash was introduced to 
the public by Mr. J. M. Ives, in the years 1831-2. 
AVhen introduced, it was a small-sized squash, weighing 
five or six pounds, fine grained and dry, with an ex- 
cellent flavor. Market-men found that by crossing 
Avith the African and South American varieties, they 
could increase the size of the original Marrow ; they 
vdid this without troubling themselves about any risk of 
deterioration, and I doubt not that much of the 
present inferior quality of this variety is due to this 
vicious crossing. In form the Marrow is much like 
the Hubbard, but with less distinctive prominence in 
the neck and calyx. In color, the Marrow is between 
a lemon -yellow and a rich orange; the skin is covered 
with fine indentations, giving it a pock-marked appear- 
ance. The body of the squash is divided into sections by 
slight depressions in its longest diameter. Under the 
thin outer skin, or epidermis, is a thicker skin of a dark 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



51 



orange color. The flesh is orange colored. The seeds 
are somewhat larger and thicker than in the Hubbard, 
and considerably larger, but not so thick as the Turban. 
In quality the Marrow of to-day varies much; sometimes 
we tind specimens that are all that can be desired, par- 
ticularly as we get near to the original type (this has 
been kept more nearly correct in Marblehead than else- 
where), but in its general character the Autumnal Mar- 
row is watery, not sweet, and oftentimes deficient in 
flavor and fineness of texture. From its great produc- 
tiveness, it is a favorite squash with market-men, and its 




AUTUMNAL MARUOW SQUASH. 

rich orange color and handsome form render it popular 
with those who have not become acquainted with the 
more recently introduced and finer varieties. There are 
two varieties grown for the Boston market known as the 
Cambridge Marrow. One of these is quite large in size, 
usually having the green color at the calyx, which indi- 
cates a mongrel variety; the other is of medium size, and 
is characterized by a brilliant orange color which makes 
it very attractive to the eye. Both of them mature a 
little earlier than the purer sort. 

The Marblehead Squash. — Soon after I had intro- 
duced the Hubbard squash to the public, word came to 
me that one of our old sea captains had it in his garden, 



52 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



and had grown it there for several years, having origin- 
ally brouglit the seed home with him from a foreign voy- 
ao^e. As I had endeavored in vain to trace the oris^in of 
the Hubbard, I was, of course, greatly interested, and at 
once called at the garden of the old gentleman. There I 
found a squash growing, which had a hard shell, like 
the Hubbard, but diifering from it in i\ie color of the 
shell, color of the meat, and in general shape, being quite 
a different squash. I procured some of the seed, and 
planted them in an isolated spot. 

When the crop matured, I found, to my regret, that 
it was so terribly hvbridized bv an admixture with other 




MAliULEUEAl) t?C.)l .voU. 



sorts of squaslies (which h^id been grown year after 
year by the neighbors of the old captain), that it had lost 
its originality. I was therefore compelled to drop it, 
though very reluctantly, for the quality was remarkable. 
Later I received a letter from an enterprising farmer 
in the West, who wished to send me a new squash, 
of the good quality of which he wrote in strong 
terms. I received the squash, cooked and tested it, 
found it surpassingly good, and became at once deeply 
interested in it. On further correspondence, I learned 
that the seed was originally brought from the seaboard. 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 53 

and that it had l)een kept perfectly pure. I obtained a 
supply of the seed, from which I raised a crop on my own 
grounds. I found that 1 had the old captain's squash 
over again, with the dift'erence that now I had it perfectly 
pure ! As the squash was first introduced to my notice 
in Marblehead, and was a nameless bairn, I concluded 
to call it after the old town '' Marblehead" ; and so we 
have the Mai-blehead Squash. 

This new squash, as a rule, is characterized by a shell 
of a more flinty luirdness than the Hubbard. It is usu- 
ally thicker and flatter at the toj). It has a greater spe- 
cific gravity. The flesh is of rather a lighter color than 
the Hubbard, wliile its combination of sweetness, dry- 
ness, and delicious flavor is something really remarkable. 
In yield it about equals the Hubbard, while its keeping 
properties are declared to surpass that famous variety. 
In the important matter of purity, it excels the Hubbard, 
and every other squash that I have raised. Its outer color 
is a light blue, but it is not to be confounded with the blue- 
colored squashes that come at times from the Hubbard 
seed. If the seed of these mongrels be planted, their 
hybrid character will be seen by a terrible sporting, so 
dreaded by every farmer ; while, on the contrary, the 
crop from the seed of the ^'Marblehead" will be found 
to excel in purity. 

The Biitman Squash. — This new squash is the only one 
of our running varieties knowm to have originated in the 
United States. For this fine variety the public are in- 
debted to the scientific knowledge, the skill, care, and 
perseverance, of Clarendon Butman, Esq., of Maine. Mr. 
Butman selected for his experiment the Hubbard and the 
Yokohama, a variety from Japan, with the object of 
combining in one variety the best characteristics of both. 
Any one can make a cross between two varieties, and, in 
fact, nature is continually doing this through the agency 
of insects ; but to combine the characteristics of the 



54 



SQUASHES, now TO GROW TUEM, ETC. 



two squashes so tlioronglily us to lix them, so that actually 
a now variety is produced witli characteristics belonging 
only to itself, and lixed as ])ernianently as in either of 
tiie parents, has been accomplished, to my knowledge, 
by but one man, and that man is Mr. Butman ! 

Mr. \^. transferred the pollen of one variety to the 
other, with the juTcautions well known to every scientific 
man; and he re[)eated the ])rocess for two or three years, 
unt il he had achieved com])lete success. The new scpuish 
produced is, externally, very distinct in color from any 




BUTMAN SQUASa. 



other kind, being a bright grass-green, intermixed with 
white. h\ size and ])roductiveness, it resembles the Hub- 
bard ; it has a thick shell and is thick moated. The 
color of the llesh is (piite striking, being of a light salmon, 
and lemon color when cooked. It is very tine grained 
and smooth to the palate, and is remarkably dry, sweet, 
and delicious ; it is entirely free from the pumpkin-like 
taste occasionally found in the Tlubba-rd, and combines 
the flavor of that variety with the best quality of the 
Canada Crookneck. I am inclined to the opinion that 
the period when the Butman Squash is in its prime is 



SQUASHES, now TO GROW TIIEM, ETC. 



55 



from October to January, though as a keeper it is equal 
to the Hubbard. 

Essex Hybrid Squash. — This is a cross between the 
Turban and the 




X 




ESSEX HYBRID SQUASH. 



Hubbard, liaving 
the shape of the 
former and the shell 
of the latter. It is a 
very handsome look- 
ing squash, and tlie 
flesh is of rather 
darker average color 
than that of either 
the Hubbard or 
Turban. As miglit 
be inferred from it^ 
parentage, it is a 
squash of good qual- 
ity, though, in my experience, it is inferior to either a 
pure Hubbard or a pure Turban. 

In the course of the past twenty-five years I have twice 
attempted to fix the type of the hard-shelled squashes 
which are occasionally found among the American 
Turbans, but have failed in each of the trials, succeed- 
ing, however, in each instance in getting about the same 
proportion of hard-shelled specimens as is found in the 
Essex Hybrid. 

The six varieties of fleshy-stemmed squashes, de- 
scribed and illustrated in the preceding pages, in- 
clude most of those raised for market purposes. There 
is a large number of other varieties, such as the Valparai- 
so, African, Honolulu, Sweet Potato, and others, some 
of which have quite distinct characteristics, that are 
more or less raised in the family garden ; several of 
these are of inferior quality, some are hybrid, and though 
one or two may be desirable for the garden, yet none of 



56 



SQUASHES, now TO GROW TUKM, ETC. 



them, as fur as I liavo made acquaintance Avith them, have 
cluivacteristios which wonld invite their g-eneral cultivaiion. 

In tliat excellent Avork by my friend. Fearing ]^iirr, 
'' The Field and Garden Vegetal)les ol' America," will be 
found quite a list of summer, fall, and winter squashes. 
] am often in receipt of varieties of liigh local repute in 
ditferent sections of the country, and it is possible that 
some of them when tested may prove worthy of general 
cultivation. 

Passing to the hard or woody-stemmed varieties, we 
find included among them the AYinter Crookneck, the 
Canada Crookneck, Yokoliama, and several others. 

The rrookliecks had their day and generation before 
the introduction of the soft-stemmed varieties. They 
were then the standard sorts, and the kitchens of thrifty 




LARGE WINTER CROOKNECK SQUASH. 

farmers were adorned with choice specimens suspend- 
ed around the walls by strips of list, to be used during 
the winter, in the course of the spring, and even during 
the summer months. The Crooknecks are character- 
ized by long, usually curved necks, terminating at the 
calyx end in a bulb-like prominence, which contains 
the seed. The vines are covered Avith rough spines, 



SQUASHES, now TO GROW TTIT:>r, ETC. 57 

and in the shortness of their leaf-stalks, the smaller size 
and different color of the leaves, are readily distinguish- 
ed from the soft-stemmed sorts. They vary much in 
color at the time of the gathering, and there is a ten- 
dency in all of them to change to a yellow hue in the 
course of the winter. In quality, the Large Winter 
Crookneck is coarse-grained and watery, while the Can- 
ada Crookneck is finer grained, and at times quite dry 
and sweet. The Winter Crookneck weighs from ten to 
twenty-five pounds and upwards, and the true Canada 
Crookneck, which is rarely found pure, averages from 
three to six pounds. In keeping properties the Crook- 
necks excel, frequently keeping in dry, warm apartments 
the year round, and, in a few instances, two years. 
When kept into the summer the seeds are at times found 
to have sprouted within the squash. 

The Crooknecks are suhject to a kind of dry rot, par- 
ticularly in spring, which gives them a peculiar appear- 
ance when cut, the tissue between the cells having a dull, 
white color, though the fibres of flesh still retain their 
bright yellow hue. When in this condition they are 
worthless for table use. The true length of time in 
which a squash keeps, is that in which it retains its 
quality, and not its mere structure. 

The Yokohama is from Japan, it having been received 
in thin country, in the year 18G0, by Mr. James Hogg, 
from his brother, then residing at Yokohama, in Japan. 
The vine is a very free grower and a good yielder, though, 
from, the comparatively small size of the squash, the 
weight of the crop is not large, when compared with the 
Hubbard, Turban, or Marrow. The Yokohama is quite 
flat with somewhat of a depression at each end. The 
diameters are to each other as about one to three or four. 
It is deeply ribbed, and the flesh, which is of a lemon color, 
is remarkably thick, m-aking it one of the heaviest of all 
squashes in proportion to its size. The flesh is very fine- 



58 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



grained, smooth to the taste, and has a flavor resembling 
the Crookneck. With those who like the taste of the 
Crookneck, the Yokohama will probably be very popular. 
Externally, before ripening, it is of an intensely dark 
green, and covered with blisters, like a toad's back ; as. 

it ripens, it begins to turn 
a light brown color at 
both tlie stem and blossom 
ends, and, after storing, it 
soon becomes entirely a 
copper-like color, and is 
covered with a slight bloom. 
It may be well to start 
the seeds under glass, on 
squares of turf, though, 
after an experience of sev- 
eral seasons, I am persuaded 
that it is becoming ac- 
climated; indeed, my crop has of late years ripened with 
the Hubbard and Turban. The cultivation of the Yoho- 
hama is mostly confined, as yet, to private gardens. 

Para, or Polk Squash. — This is a half -bush squash. 
In the first stages of its growth it has a bush habit, and 
sets its first fruit like a bush squash, but later it pushes 
out runners eight or ten feet in length, and bears fruit 




YOKOHAMA SQUASH. 




PAKA, OK POLK SQUASH. 

along them. The squasli was brought to this country 
from Para, in South America. In shape it is oblong ; it 
is ribbed, of a tea-green color, excepting the portion 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 59 

which rests on the ground, which is of a rich orange 
color. The squaslies weigh about three pounds each. 
They require the whole season to mature, and, when in 
good condition, the flesh is dry and of a rich flavor. 
Like the Yokohama, I apprehend 
this will be very popular with a class 
rather than with the community at 
large. Both the Yokohama and the 
Para can be kept well into the win- 
ter. I have kept a Yokohama, crossed 
on the Turban, fourteen months, 
and Hubbards, in two instances, 
twelve months. 




CashavVi — This is the name given 
to a squash grown in the South, 
which in form, size, and general ap- 
pearance, closely resembles the va- 
riety of Crookneck known in the 
North as the Puritan squash. In 
quality it appears to be of a coarser 
grain than are the Northern Crook- ^^'^^^ ^Q^^'°- 
necks. It matures too late for the North, unless start- 
ed in a cold frame. The seeds are peculiar in being 
surrounded by a thin fringe, which makes them of mam- 
moth proportions. 

Cocoanut Squash. — A magnificent little squash for 
table use, very prolific, yielding from six to a dozen 
or more to the vine. In beauty it excels every other 
variety of squash; indeed, specimens very naturally find 
a place on the mantel-piece as ornaments to the parlor — 
not being surpassed in beauty by any of the gourd family. 
The color is an admixture of cream and orange, the latter 
color predominating in the depressions between the ribs ; 
while the bottom, over a circle of two or three inches in 
diameter, is of a rich grass-green. The flesh is fine- 



60 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GEOW THEM, ETC. 



grained, sweet, and very solid (the sqnash being remark- 
ably heavy for its size), and the quality excellent, some- 




COCOA2itDT SQUASH. 

what resembling Canada Crookneck in flavor, but in 
every way superior. 

Perfect Gem Squash. — I am well pleased with this 
squash. It is certainly what is claimed for it — an im- 
portant addition to our list of squashes. In its habit of 

growth it is like the Cocoanut, 
and is very productive, as many 
as twenty-four squashes having 
been grown on a single vine. 

The squashes are from four to 
six inches in diameter, of a light 
straw color, slightly ribbed, and 
have a thin, smooth skin. The 
flesh is dry and fine grained until 
late in the fall, when it is less dry 
and remarkably sweet. It is proving a good keeper as 
a winter squash. It ripens about the same time as 
the Hubbard. This variety deserves a place in every 
kitchen garden. 




PERFECT GEM SQUASH. 



S(iUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 61 

THE SUMMER SQUASHES. 

The remarks made relative to the cultivation of the 
fall and winter varieties, will apply to the cultivation of 
the summer squashes, with, the exception of the distance 
between the hills ; this, as they are of a bushy habit, 
should be about five feet. In quality, the summer 
squashes have but little to recommend them ; it is prin- 
cipally tlieir fresh, new taste that makes them acceptable 
for the table. If my friends will use a half-grown Hub- 
bard on their tables, in place of these summer varieties, 
they will find it far preferable. South of New York the 
cultivation of squashes is confined almost wholly to the 
bush varieties. Until recently, the New York market 
for fall and winter squashes has been largely supplied 
by the growers around Boston. 

I find that there is a strong belief among prominent 
seedsmen in the Middle States, that the running varieties 
of squashes will not succeed in their section — they will 
not form the thick, fleshy root, they say. We, in the 
North, have always looked upon the squash as a half 
tropical fruit, and anticipated finding greater and greater 
success in its cultivation the farther South it was planted. 
It has all the characteristics of a semi-tropical plant, like 
the tomato and the melon, and should it be true that 
there is such a climatic limitation, it would be a marked 
exception to a general law. I have but little doubt that, 
under proper culture in the South, our running varieties 
would do as well as at the North. It occurs to me at 
this moment that the late Dr. Phillips, the former editor 
of t"he " Southern Farmer," stated to me, in the course 
of correspondence, that he had raised them by the acre 
in Mississippi, with complete success. 

The standard Summer Varieties are the Yellow and 
White Bush Scollop, often called Pattjrpan or Cymlins 
(at the South), and the Summer Crookneck. Of these 



62 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



the last named is the best. All form a shell as they 
ripen, and are then unfit for the table. They should not 
be cooked after the shell can be felt by the thumb-nail. 
The Green-Striped Bergen is an early variety, quite pop- 
ular in the markets of New York. Several of the varie- 




WHITE BUSH SCALLOPED SQUASH. 





SUMMER CROOKNECK SQUASH, 



CUSTARD SQUASH. 



ties that are grown as gourds, for ornamental purposes, 
are edible; a large proportion of them, indeed, as I 
have found on testing the largest of my specimens 
before feeding to the pigs. As a general rule, all that 
are not bitter to the taste are edible. 

The Vegetable Marrow is about the only variety of 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 63 

the squash family cultivated by our English cousins. 
With tliem it is brought to the table in the same style 
as our own varieties, or so cooked as to form part of 
a soup. 

A friend who resided some years in England, informed 
me that one of the greatest novelties to an English eye 
was an Autumnal Marrow Squash, which he kept as a 
center-piece on his marble table for a month or more. 

The Tiistard Squash is one of the hard-stemmed sorts, 
of a yellowish cream-color, oblong in shape, deeply 
ribbed, weighing from twelve to twenty pounds. It is 
quite a favorite. The flesh is fine grained and of a light 
straw color. The flavor is rather peculiar, and much 
liked in pies by some persons. This is a large variety, 
and appears to be allied in form, quality, and productive- 
ness to the Pumpkins. 

ENEMIES OF THE VINE. 

The insect enemies are the Striped-bug {Galeriica vit- 
tata), the Pumpkin-bug (Coreus tristis), and the insect 
that produces the Squash-maggot. The Striped-bug ap- 
pears about the first of June, and, several broods being 
hatched in the course of the summer, they continue their 
depredations throughout the season. After the vines 
have pushed their runners two or three feet, their vigor 
is such that the after depredations of this little insect are 
of no practical importance — with the exception of injury 
occasionally done to immature squashes, the upj^er sur- 
faces of which are sometimes found covered with them, 
and hundreds of little cell-like holes are eaten out. The 
injury done by the Striped-bug is mostly confined to the 
period in the growth of the vine between its first appear- 
ance above the ground and the formation of the fifth leaf. 
They feed on both the under and upper surfaces of the 



64 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

leaf, and, sucking its juices, soon reduce it to a dry, dead 
net-work. The eating of the seed-leaves of the plant (the 
two leaves which first appear) is not always fatal, pro- 
vided the bud that starts from between them is unin- 
jured; if this, however, is eaten out, the plant is destroy- 
ed for all practical purposes, and should be pulled up 
and thrown away, even if the seed-leaves are wholly 
uninjured. In localities where the Striped-bug is not 
very prevalent, the greatest harm of its ravages is some- 
times prevented by planting the seed about the 10th 
of May, should the weather permit, which will enable the 
vines to get so far advanced as usually to be beyond the 
reach of serious injury. The preventives to the ravages of 
this little insect, Which attacks the whole Squash family, 
including cucumbers and melons, are numerous. They 
may nearly all be brought under two classes : those which 
act mechanically, by covering the leaves so as to make 
them inaccessible to its punctures, and those which repel 
the insect by their disagreeable odors or pungent flavor. 
The best protectors of the first class are hand-glasses, 
little frame- works covered with millinet or very coarse 
cotton cloth; or, as this insect flies but a few inches 
above the surface of the earth, any box, circular or square, 
having sides about ten inches high, from which the bot- 
tom has been removed, may be used. The remedies of 
the second class are those which are principally relied on 
where squashes are cultivated on a large scale. These 
should be applied early in the morning, when the dew is 
on, or directly after a rain, while the leaves are wet, that 
they may adhere. In using them a small fine sieve will 
be found very convenient. The best of these remedies I 
name in the order of their popularity in the squash- 
growing districts. Ground plaster, oyster^shell lime, air- 
slaked lime, ashes, soot, charcoal dust, and common dust. 
Probably the application of Paris green, either dry or in 
a liquid form, would prove as efficacious in protecting 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 65 

vines from their insect enemies as it has in protecting the 
potato from the attacks of the Colorado beetle. Plaster 
and oyster-shell lime, I consider of equal value, and the 
use of protectors in my grounds is confined to one or 
other of these. Against air-slaked lime, which is very 
commonly used, there is this serious objection : however 
thoroughly it may be air-slaked, it still remains suffi- 
ciencly caustic in its nature to seriously injure the leaves, 
causing more harm, by its burning properties, than good 
by preventing the ravages of the bug. I have seen an 
acre of thrifty vines entirely destroyed, through the 
caustic properties developed in the lime, by a gentle 
shower that fell just after its application ; the leaves 
were so burned that they rubbed to dust in the fingers. 
Charcoal dust and soot not only protect the vines, but 
serve also to draw the heat of the sun, oftentimes very 
grateful to the young vines in the early season of the 
year; while soot and ashes in all localities, and plaster 
and lime in some places, as they are washed from 
the leaves by the rain, serve as stimulating manures 
to the young plants. The advantages of plaster and 
oyster-shell lime are, that being very finely powdered, 
they can be easily dusted over the vines, and their 
conspicuous white color allows it to be seen at a glance 
whether or not the leaves are fully covered. Common 
dust as a protector sounds cheap, but the trouble of 
collecting and separating the stones, that might other- 
wise injure the leaves, is more than an offset to the 
cost of other articles. These protectors should be ap- 
plied as soon as the young plant breaks ground, before 
it has fairly shaken off the shell of the seed, as the insect 
is then often at work, and the application should be re- 
newed after every shower, the object being to keep every 
leaf entirely covered, as far as practicable, until the fifth 
leaf is developed. At this time the plants will usually be 
beyond reach of injury from this little enemy, provided 



66 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

tlie hills have been supplied with sufficient rich manure 
to give them a rapid growth. Among this class of reme- 
dies are, a decoction of tobacco and kerosene oil; a very 
little of the oil (the proper quantity to be ascertained by 
experiment) is added to water, w^hich is to be stirred while 
being applied. The application of water in which hen-ma- 
nure, or guano has been dissolved, sprinkling the leaves 
with a mixture of wheaten flour and red pepper, or snuff, 
or sulphur, etc., etc., have been found efficacious by vari- 
ous persons. Dr. Harris states that these insects fly by 
night as well as by day, and are attracted by the light of 
burning splinters of pine knots or of staves of tar barrels. 
As insects breathe through pores in their bodies, such 
strong ammoniacal odors as are given off from a liquid 
in which hen-manure, guano, or kerosene has been mix- 
ed, must tend to suffocate and repel them. 

As new land is much less infested with bugs than old 
land, it will be better in sections where these insects are 
very troublesome, to break up sward to plant upon. 

In fighting insect pests, where but few hills are culti- 
vated, pieces of board or shingle laid around the young 
plants, just above the surface of the ground, will collect 
many on their undersides overnight; on examining the 
boards early in the morning, many bugs can be brushed 
off into hot water or be crushed. I don't think much 
of the plan of killing them about the vines ; the old say- 
' ing that '' when one is killed fifty will come to its fu- 
neral" appears to have a savor of truth in it, for I have 
noted that when I have killed them near the vines there 
seemed to be no end to the business; after constant atten- 
tion, the bugs appeared to be about as numerous as at first. 
I think that the odor from the dead ones attracts others. 

The large black bug I consider rather a Pumpkin 
than a Squash -bug. In this and in other sections, 
as far as my knowledge extends, where the cultivation 
of the pumpkin has been given up for a number of 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 6? 

years, it has almost entirely disappeared. Occasionally 
a leaf of a vine will be seen pretty well covered with 
the rascals late in the season, but so scarce are they, 
that for several years past I have not seen, on an aver- 
age, more than one each season on my vines, and I culti- 
vate several acres annually. When the plants are young, 
they are likely to be found, if at all, below the elementary 
leaves, sucking out the juices from the vine itself. For 
these fellows there is nothing like finger work. I have 
known an instance in the interior where they were so nu- 
merous on pumpkin vines planted among corn, that the 
mere smell of them acted as an emetic to three separate 
sets of hands that attempted to hoe the corn patch. 

The Squash-maggot is hatched from the egg of an in- 
sect bearing a close resemblance to the lady-bug, but of a 
size considerably larger. The eggs are usually deposited 
near the root of the vine, within an inch or two of the 
ground ; and in seasons when this insect abounds, eggs 
are deposited at the junction of the leaf -stalks with the 
stem, along some six or eight feet of vine. As soon as 
the egg is hatched, the maggot begins to eat its way 
through the center of the vine, and its borings will be 
seen outside its hole, like those of an apple-tree borer. 
The vines thus attacked will wither under a mid-day sun, 
and the injured ones are thus readily detected. Squashes 
on such vines usually make but little growth, and the 
plants ultimately die. If the presence of the borer is early 
detected, it can sometimes be killed by thrusting a wire 
or stout straw into its hole ; sometimes the vine is slit 
open, and the intruder found and killed ; but vines thus 
treated do not always recover. If the slit portion is cov- 
ered with earth and pegged down, sometimes but little 
injury is done. I have taken thirteen borers from a 
single vine, some of the largest being an eighth of an 
inch in diameter and an inch in length. 

It happens at times^ after the vines have made a vigor- 



68 SQUASHES, HOW TO GEOW THEM, ETC. 

ous growth of several feet, that they suddenly wilt and 
die without any evident cause ; no insects are to be found 
on the leaves, there are no borers in the vines. I am at a 
loss to explain the cause of this, unless it be that the vine 
has been poisoned by something that it has taken into 
its circulation. I have picked half-grown plums that 
tasted as salt as brine. The tree had received a heavy 
manuring with salt, and ultimately died, proving that 
there is such a thing in the vegetable world as a tree 
poisoning itself by feeding to excess on one variety of 
food ; and what is true of a tree may be true of a vine. 

WOODCHUOKS AND MUSKRATS. 

On low land, near water-courses, Muskrats will occa- 
sionally make sad havoc with the growing fruit ; while 
on uplands, the Woodchuck is sometimes exceedingly 
destructive. If the portion troubled by muskrats is of 
small area, the squashes can be protected by taking 
boxes of sufficient size, cutting a narrow slit in their 
sides, and setting the fruit in them, having the vines 
enter and go out of the narrow slits. When muskrats 
begin on a squash, so far as I have observed, they make a 
finish of it before injuring others. 

Woodchucks are exceedingly destructive ; they rarely 
devour a squash entirely, but gnaw more or less all in the 
vicinity of their burrows. If these burrows are not con- 
veniently near the squash patch, they will leave the old, 
and make new ones close by, or even in the midst of the 
squash field. The wounds made by their broad teeth 
soon heal, if the squashes have not reached their growth, 
and the gnawing has not been through the squash, but 
the crop is much injured for market purposes. I have 
had a ton injured in this way, in one season, by a smgle 
woodchuck. Singular as it may seem, I have noticed 
that squashes so gnawed, when the wounds are not very 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 69 

deep, and have had time to heal over, will keep better 
after being stored, than the average of the crop. A thou- 
sand and one ways are given to catch and destroy the 
woodchucks ; traps set a little way down in their holes, 
and carefully hidden with earth, and apples, containing 
arsenic, rolled into their burrows, are among those that 
have proved successful. It is worth while to offer five 
dollars for the skin of a woodchuck that has commenced 
depredations in a squash field. 

SAVIKG SEED. 

In selecting squashes for stock seed, take (while the 
squashes are in the field, or immediately after they are 
gathered) neither the largest nor the smallest specimens. 
The largest specimens are very tempting, particularly so 
if they have the true form, appear to be well ripened, 
and, if Hubbards, have a hard shell ; but experience has 
proved that these, as a class, are most likely to be of im- 
pure blood. Seyeral years ago two of my neighbors, who 
had become famous for their large Hubbard squashes, 
came to me to get a new stock of seed to start from. 
They stated that within a few years a large proportion of 
their squashes had grown soft-shelled. As they had made 
it a rule to select the largest specimens for seed, I have no 
doubt that the admixture (which was very evident from 
the loss of the hard shell characteristic of the true Hub- 
bard) had crept in in that way. Every old squash-grower 
is aware of the great change that has come over the Au- 
tumnal Marrow squash. When introduced, it was of 
small size, weighing about five or six pounds, exceedingly 
dry, fine grained, and rich flavored. Now its quality is 
uncertain, for the most part greatly deteriorated below 
the original standard, but it grows to double the average 
size of the original squash. I have not the slightest 
doubt th^t this deterioration is due to the vicious practice 



70 SQUASHES, HOW TO GKOW THEM, ETC. 

of saving seed stock from the largest of the entire crop, 
these specimens deriving their extra size from larger 
and coarser varieties of the African and South .A merican 
type. If any one has doubts of this theory, he can easily 
satisfy himself by examining the calyx end of a crop of 
the largest-sized variety of Marrow squashes, when he 
will find a proportion of them with the green color stolen 
from the African or South American family. 

Having decided on medium-sized specimens for seed 
stock, select those that are most strongly marked exter- 
nally with the characteristics of the variety. If a Hub- 
bard, it should be very thick and hard-shelled, of a dark 
green color. Let it have a good neck and calyx end, and 
be as heavy in proportion to its size as possible. The 
stem of both this and the Marrow squash should stand at 
quite an angle with the fruit, and have a depression 
where it joins, as this indicates an early-ripened speci- 
men. The flesh should be hard, fine grained, and thick, 
and not stringy on the inside. See to it that the squash 
swells out to a fair degree in the middle, and has an aver- 
age proportion of seed. Having selected such specimens 
as these, bring them to the final test of the dinner-table, 
and reject every one that does not there show all the char- 
acteristics of dryness, flavor, and fineness that belong to 
a first-rate specimen. 

I know that the injunction to select specimens that 
swell out to a fair degree in the middle is contrary to the 
course pursued by most farmers : yet I advise it on the 
ground that such squashes, having a good quantity of 
seed, have superior vitality and individuality, and being 
nearer nature's ideal of perfection in the animal and 
vegetable kingdom, are better able to maintain the 
species. 

I have seen the working of this law most conspicu- 
ously in the Crookneck family of squashes. The culti- 
vator's type of a fine market squash is one with as large a 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 71 

neck and as small a seed end as possible. Following out 
this idea, they select for seed, specimens with a small seed 
end, and the result, as far as I have observed, has been 
that the squash in the course of a few years has deterio- 
rated and become w^orthlees. 

When to Take Out the Seed. — We have advised 
that the specimens for seed purposes be selected early 
in the season, because later, particularly when they have 
been exposed to a high degree of heat, the color be- 
comes so changed that the work of selection becomes 
far more difficult. The next question to discuss is, 
when shall we seed them ? Contrary to the generally 
received opinion, the seed is not ripe when the squash is 
— in other words, though the squash has completed its 
growth, the vines dying naturally and the stem being 
dead and hardened, yet the seeds do not fully mature 
until some time after the squash is stored. The length 
of time will vary with the season, it being longer in a 
wet season and shorter in a dry one, the two extremes 
being from one to three months. Though seeds taken 
out as soon as the squash is gathered, may at the 
time present a very plump apj^earance, yet, if they are 
examined after they are dry, a large proportion will be 
found to be plump only on one side, most of them will be 
twisted, and not a few of them entirely wanting in meat. 
When seeding large lots for market, I have found the 
percentage of loss in the weight of the seed quite an im- 
portant matter, it being as high as one-fifth. After the 
squash is gathered, the process of ripening the seed goes 
on until the entrails are absorbed, or taken up by the 
seeds, and the seeds continue to increase in plumpness and 
weight until the entrails are so far consumed that only 
so much remains as is necessary to hold together the seed 
structure. This final ripeness is indicated by the seed 
compartments in the squash becoming distinct, and the 
attachments peeling off like the skin from an orange. Tf, 



72 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

when the squash is opened, the seeds are embedded in a 
hard, dense mass of growth within, that does not readily 
separate from the squash, they will be twice as hard to 
clean, and when cleaned will weigh full twenty per cent, 
short of the weight of well ripened seed. 

The seed is cleaned from the refuse by being either 
squeezed out or washed out. The best way to clean seed on 
a large scale is, to crowd it througli very coarse sieves into 
tubs, most of the entrails being left behind, caught in the 
meshes of the sieves ; then, putting it into a revolving 
churn with water, give it a thorough shaking up, and re- 
moving it into sieves for draining, dash over some clean 
water, after which spread it to dry. If squeezed out, seed 
will dry sooner, and when rubbed and winnowed when 
dry will have a more velvety look than when washed ; 
but to get such seed clean requires a good deal of work. 
The best way is to trample on it while it is tied up in a 
strong bag, and follow this by rubbing between the 
hands and in a sieve, finishing with a careful hand pick- 
ing. Where a large quantity is to be handled, it is clean- 
ed more quickly by washing than by squeezing out, but it 
requires to be dried upon a comparatively clean surface, 
whereas squeezed seed can be dried upon any surface, 
no matter how dirty, as the refuse squash that remains 
adhering to it effectually protects it from all injury. 
Washed seed should not be spread more than one deep, 
and squeezed seed not over one and a half deep ; each 
should be stirred after the second day. If Avashed seed is 
stirred earlier, it is apt to be injured by the tearing of the 
epitlermis, which for the first day or two adheres strongly 
to the surface on which it is spread. The temperature for 
drying seed should not be over about one hundred degrees, 
and better less than more. Never dry seed in an oven, 
or very near a stove. The upper shelf of a kitchen closet, 
or a plate on the mantel-piece, not too near the stove 
funnel, are each of them handy, though housewives will 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GKOW THEM, ETC. 73 

sometimes say they are not suitable places — if mice are 
apt to gnaw the seed in the closet, or children to see 
them on the mantel, for a certainty I will not dispute 
them. When the quantity to be cleaned is small, the 
sooner it is attended to, after the entrails have been re- 
moved from the squash, the brighter the seed will look ; 
but if the quantity is large, by letting the mass stand one 
or two days, until fermentation begins and the entrails 
are partly decayed, the seed can be cleaned with far 
greater expedition. Much care and some experience are 
requisite to determine how far fermentation can be al- 
lowed to advance. As a general rule, if, on thrusting 
the hand into the middle of the mass, it feels milk warm, 
it should be at once mixed well together and the whole be 
washed out within six hours. The great danger in per- 
mitting fermentation to advance too far, is in losing the 
white, ivory-like epidermis of the seed, thus destroying 
much of their beauty, and lowering their value for mar- 
ket purposes. In washing the seed, the water used may 
be made about milk warm, and, as soon as they have been 
squeezed out of the entrails, skim them off the surface, 
dropping them into a sieve about as coarse as a common 
coal sieve ; when this is nearly full, dash over them a 
couple of buckets of water, giving them immediately a 
quick shaking, which will tend to work out through the 
meshes the fragments of entrails that were taken out 
with them. If the hand is thrust into a mass of freshly 
washed seed it will collect a good many pieces of the en- 
trails. After pouring the water on the seed, incline the 
sieve at a sharp angle, in order that it may drain off. 
After they are well drained, pour them out on a large 
piece of soft cotton cloth, and rub and roll them well, to 
absorb as much of the moisture as possible. Then spread 
as above directed. 

When is Squash Seed Sufficiently Dry I — It took me 
a couple of years to learn a very simple rule by which 
4 



74 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

this can be infallibly determined. Meanwhile I suffered 
a great deal of anxiety, took a great deal of extra care (I 
got out twenty-six hundred pounds of squash seed one 
season), and yet after all had a feeling of uncertainty in 
the premises. The ordinary way is to call squash seed 
dry when the enveloping skin has separated from it, 
and the seed itself is much contracted and also has a 
dry look. If the temperature to which it has been ex- 
posed is quite low, this is a pretty safe guide, but if 
it has been dried at a somewhat high temperature — 
though the seeds, when handled, may rustle with 
a dry sound — if such seeds are packed in barrels they 
will be very likely to sweat, and, when turned out, 
come out in caked masses, and if left tos^ether soon 
become musty. Squash seed, to be really dry, must 
be so in the meat as well as in the shell, and this 
can be in a moment determined by endeavoring to bend 
them. If they are pliable, they are not yet sufficiently 
dry ; if they snap instead of bending, they can be safely 
stored for future use. 

How lonff will Squash Seed keep its Vitality? — 

Squash seed is, like all other seed, best kept in a cool 
place, where the air is dry and the temperature as even 
as possible. I have found that those which were kept in 
an open bag did not retain their vitality so long by a year, 
as those which were kept in the same bag, but placed in 
paper packages. 

I have known squash seed to be fairly good at six years 
old, and again to be worthless when but three years old, 
and with no perceptible difference in the getting out 
and method of keeping. I would lay down the rule 
to always test squash seed before planting, if it be 
over two years old. This can be easily done by placing 
a few in a cup, with water sufficient to swell them, cover- 
ing them with some cotton wool, to prevent evaporation, 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GKOW THEM, ETC. 75 

and setting the cup near the stove or on the upper shelf 
of a closet where the heat is gentle. 

If the oil that enters into the composition of the meat 
of the squash seed has become rancid, the vegetative 
power of the seed is destroyed. This is easily determined 
by breaking the seed, when the meat will be of dark 
color, and have a rancid taste. Under such circum- 
stances, the shell of the spoiled seed will usually be darker 
colored than that of good seed. In a lot of seed saved at 
the same time a portion will be spoiled, while the re- 
mainder will readily vegetate, and some that to the eye 
and taste appear to be perfectly sound, will prove to be 
utterly worthless. The cause of the difference in either 
case I do not know. 

The proportion of seed and entrails of squashes to their 
entire weight is less than is generally supposed. By tests, 
applied towards the close of February, a few years ago, I 
found that the weight of seed and entrails to the entire 
squash, in the Turban, was as 65 to 1000 ; and, in the 
Hubbard, as 55 to 1000. At that date the entrails had 
less weight than they would have shown earlier in the 
season. 



76 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



mSTINCTS AND HABITS OF SQUASH VINES. 

It seems hardly fitting to close this treatise without 
alluding to something higher than the mere pecuniary or 
culinary value of the squash family. In common with 
all vegetables, the vine has instincts which are both 
curious and wonderful. How singular it is that roots 
have power to push through the soil directly to the spot 
where the best food is found, descending, if necessary, 
below the plane of growth, or ascending above it to the 
very surface and developing a perfect mist of rootlets to 
catch up the decaying particles found under a small heap 
of rubbish ! Still more wonderful are some of the instincts 
of the vine itself. Each tendril stretches out to fasten 
itself to something by which it can snpport the vine, and 
rarely, if ever, will it take hold of any but the best sup- 
porter within reach. Yet more strange even than this is 
the instinct these tendrils develop. They not only reach 
out for a support, and make selection of the object, but 
they will vary the direction of their growth through quite 
a number of degrees in pursuit of the particular object 
they have selected. To see this wonderfnl phenomenon 
in its most striking aspect, select a vine of some one of 
the mammoth varieties, under circumstances in which its 
most vigorous growth will be developed. Let every stick, 
weed, or the like, be removed from the vicinity of the 
main runner, and then thrust firmly into the ground a 
slip of shingle, not over half an inch wide, on one side of 
the vine, a few inches beyond the outstretched tendril 
that is always found near the extremity, noting with care 
at the same time the direction in which the extremity of 
tlie vine points. Within twenty-four hours it will be 
found that the vine has turned from its former course, 
towards the side on which the shingle is placed, while the 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 77 

tendril has turned towards the shingle and perhaps found 
and grasped it ! In proof that this is no mere chance 
event, let the slip of shingle be now removed, and placed 
in the same relation to the A^ne as before, but on the 
opposite side. Within twenty-four hours the vine will 
be found to have turned from its former course and to be 
inclined towards the side on which the shingle is placed, 
while the tendril on that side has shown a correspond- 
ing movement. Then study the tendril. It is most 
admirably adapted for its office ; it is usually a compound 
spiral, one-half of it winding to the right and the other 
half of it to the left, thus combining the greatest strength 
with the greatest possible elasticity. As another illustra- 
tion of its wonderful instincts, I have seen a squash vine 
run about ten feet along the surface of the ground, keep- 
ing its extremity within a few inches of the surface, until 
it passed under the projecting limb of a pear tree, which 
was about four feet above the surface of the earth ; here 
it stretched up almost vertically towards the tree, until 
it had almost reached it, when, not having sufficient 
stamina to support it to a further effort, it fell over 
towards the ground, forming an arch. It immediately 
turned up with a second effort to reach the tree, made a 
second failure and formed a second arch, and with still 
another failure a third arch, by which time the extremity 
had passed out from under the tree, when it kept on its 
horizontal growth the same as before it had reached the 
tree! Such instincts are wonderful. How did the vine 
know the tree was above it, or that the slip of shingle was 
at either the right or left of it ? 

During the best growing weather the growth of the 
vine is very rapid. I have found, by actual measurement, 
that a vine of a mammoth variety grew above fourteen 
inches in twenty-four hours. Sometimes, during a season 
of drouth, a surprising tenacity of life is displayed. I 
well remember one piece of vines growing on a shallow 



78 SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 

spot above a ledge, where, during a season of severe 
drouth, I could find nothing but earth as dry as dust, 
close down to the ledge ; yet these vines, for more than a 
week, would wilt and apparently dry up each day, to 
renew themselves with the dews over night. I have very 
rarely (and I have often examined them for this,) found 
the tendrils of the squash vine seizing on the Apple of 
Peru (Strammonium,) a large weed quite common near 
the sea shore, of disagreeable odor and poisonous in its 
nature, when taken internally. Now, the Apple of Peru 
is very common in our squash fields, and presents the 
most stable. support of all the weeds of the field. Then 
why this apparent antipathy ? 

EVAPORATING, CANNING, AND COOKING 
THE SQUASH. 

IVithin a few years, a large business has been devel- 
oped in the Eastern States in the evaporating and can- 
ning of squashes. These processes enable housewives to 
bridge the interval between spring and fall, and bring 
this fine vegetable to their tables in the form of pie all the 
year. When carefully put up, the evaporated squash 
makes as good a pie as when used fresh-gathered from the 
vine. The extent of the canning business may be in- 
ferred from the fact that when, in its infancy, I supplied 
a Boston firm with thirty tons of squashes, from which 
the seeds had been removed, to be used for this purpose, 
they informed me that they had already used for canning 
three hundred tons that season. A single suggestion, 
drawn from personal experience, to those who may find a 
market for their seeded squashes: When sending them by 
railroad, unless the weather is below freezing, be sure and 
have the door of the car open an inch or two, for squashes, 
when seeded, are very apt to develop heat. A word about 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GEOW THEM, ETC. 79 

tlie cooking of the liard-slielled varieties. Do not attempt 
to remove the shell, but, after breaking to a convenient 
size, cook by steam, instead of boiling. In bringing it to 
tjie table, the flesh is generally scraped from the shell, 
but this is not the best way. To preserve the fine gram 
of the squash, and keep its dryness, bring it to the table 
on the shell, and so serve it, with the shell as a natural 
dish. We have oysters on the shell ; and why not 
squash ? The old saying that " the nearer the bone, the 
sweeter the meat," may or may not be true, but we know 
from personal experience, dating from the time when we 
could first handle a knife with safety, that the nearer the 
shell, the finer, richer, and dryer is the squash. 

I have endeavored to make my little treatise as com- 
plete a manual as possible. If, from the directions; 
given, so delicious a vegetable as the squash shall be more- 
generally and more successfully cultivated, I shall be well; 
pleased. 



INDEX. 



Canning the Squash 78 

Compost for Squashes 12 

Cooking the Squash 78 

Critical Period 31 

Crossing of Varieties 26 

Cultivating 21 

Drills vs. Hills 18 

Eneaiies of the Vine 63 

Evaporating the Squash 78 

Exporting Squashes 41 

Feeding Squashes to Stock 43 

Frost-bitten Squashes 40 

Fruit, Setting of 25 

Gourds 4 

Grass, Witch or Quack 7 

Habits of Squash Vines 76 

Hill Culture vs. Level Culture 21 

Hills— How Far Apart ? 17 

Hills, Preparing the 16 

Hoeing 21 

House for Squashes 34 

Insect Enemies 63 

Coreus tristis ^ 63 

Oaleruca viitata 63 

Squash-bug 66 

Squash-maggot 67 

Striped-bug 63 

Pumpkin-bug 66 

Instincts of Squash Vines 76 

Introduction 3 

Land, Marking Out 14 

Manure, Applying 12 

Manure for Squashes 7 

Maniire, How Much ? 9 

(81) 



82 INDEX. 

MaDure, Preparino; - 13 

Marketing the Crop • . • 38 

Market Price of Squashes 40 

Milch Cows, Squashes for , 44 

Mixing of Squashes 26 

Muskrats 68 

Night-soil 8 

Pigs, Squashes as Food for . , ^ 44 

Pinching the Vines 29 

Planting the Seed 19 

Pumpkins and Squashes 4 

Quack-grass 7 

Koots — How Far they Eun 13 

Saving Seed .. 69 

Seeds, Cleaning 72 

" How Long will they Keep ? 74 

'< Planting the • • • • 19 

" Saving the 69 

" When are they Dry ? 73 

" When to Take Out 71 

Setting the Fruit 25 

Sod-land for Squashes 6 

Soil for Squashes 5 

Squash, Canning 78 

Cooking 78 

" Evaporating 78 

Squash-House 34 

Squash, What is a ? 4 

Squashes, Exporting 41 

for Milch Cows 44 

for Pigs 44 

for Stock 43 

Frost-bitten = 40 

Gathering 29 

Marketing 38 

Market Price of 40 

Kipening 29 

Storing, 33 

W^inter Care of 36 

with other Crops 24 

Varieties of 45 

Storing Squashes 33 

Summer Varieties of Squashes 61 

Twitch-Grass 7 

Varieties, Crossing or Mixing , 26 

" Summer 61 

« Winter .45 



INDEX. §3 

Varieties 45 

" American Turban 43 

*' Autumnal Marrow 50 

" Bergen, Green-striped ^2 

" Boston Marrow 5q 

" Butman g^ 

" Cambridge Marrow 50 

" Canada Croolinecic 57 

" Casbaw 59 

" Cocoanut 59 

" Croolfneclfs 5g 

" Crooknecli, Canada 57 

*' " Summer qi 

" Cymlins q\ 

*' Custard 53 

" Essex Hybrid 55 

" French Turban .^ 43 

" Green-striped Bergen g2 

" Hubbard 45 

• *' Large Winter Crookneck (jg 

" Marblehead 52 

*' Marrow 5q 

'* Middleton Blue 47 

" Para or Polk 58 

" Pattypan qi 

•* Perfect Gem gO 

Polk '.'.'.'.'.'.'.58 

" Summer Crookneck gX 

" Vegetable Marrow g2 

" White Bush Scollop * *gl 

" Yokohama 57 

Vines, Distance Apart 17 

*' Instincts and Habits of 76 

" Pinching of 29 

Weeds 7 

Winter Care of Squashes 36 

Winter Varieties of Squashes 45 

Witch-Grass 7 

Wood Ashes 8 

Woodchucks 68 



SUPPLEMENT. 



NEW VARIETIES OF SQUASHES. 



Since the printing of the last edition, several ex- 
cellent varieties have been introduced which deserve 
to be illustrated and described. 




DUNLAP'S FROLIilO MARROW SQUASH. 



Dunlap's Prolific Marrow. — This is a remark- 
ably early variety of the deep orange colored Mar- 
row, introduced by Mr. Dunlap, the seed man, whose 
name it bears. It is full a fortnight earlier than the 
Boston Marrow, which in size and shape it closely 
resembles, though usually rather blunter around the 
^tem. On comparison in my experimental ground 
with several other varieties of the Marrow which 
were claimed to be extra early, I find none to be 



86 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



earlier, nor on the whole as good. The quality 
when fully ripe is very good for so early a squash. 
It begins to turn dark colored by the time it is 
half grown, and hence is often put on the mar- 
ket before it is sufficiently ripe to be eatable. When 
it is sufficiently ripe for marketing, is indicated by 
the stem drying and contracting close to the squash. 
If the squashes are marketed as fast as they mature, 
and the ground has been well manured, the vines 
will continue in bearing until killed by frost. 







THE WARKEN SQUASH. 



The Warren Squash. — In 1887 a vine made 
its appearance in a field of Essex Hybrid squashes 
raised by my townsman, Mr. Warren, which bore 
three squashes markedly distinct from the rest of 
the field. They were rougher and more warty in 
appearance, had thicker shell, and were conspicu- 
ous in being of a deeper orange color. When cooked 



SQUASHES, HOAV TO GROW THEM, ETC. 87 

the quality proved to be decidedly better, the flesh 
being remarkably fine grained and dry and the flavor 
excellent. It is as good a cropper as the Hybrid. 
I believe it will eventually take the place of it. 



WHITE CHESTNUT SQUASH. 

The Chestnut Squash. — I have named this 
squash the White Chestnut for two reasons ; first, 
because the color of the shell is nearly w^hite, 
and second, because the quality of the flesh is 
very suggestive of a boiled chestnut. The color of 
the shell is much lighter than the Marblehead, which 
it somewhat resembles. The flesh is much lighter 
colored than the Hubbard or Marblehead, being a 
lemon yellow, much like that of the Butman. The 
shell is of the hard, flinty character like that of the 
Hubbard, with which and the Marblehead and But- 
man, it as well deserves to be classed as a table 
squash. The average size and yield is somewhat less 
than that of the Hubbard. A first-class squash for 
the home garden. 



88 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



The Sibley or Pike's Peak. — This squash 
was first named, engraved and catalogued as the 
Sibley by the seed firm of the late Hiram Sibley. 
According to the law governing the introduc- 
tion of new vegetables, that the person who first 
describes and illustrates has the right to name. 
*' Sibley" is the true name of the squash. It 
is sent out under the claim that it was superior in 




quality to the Hubbard. As I had tested sev- 
eral sent out with that claim and had not thus far 
found any deserving it, I was incredulous ; but on 
testing a sample sent me by the person who was the 
original raiser, I had to concede, that as a fall squash, 
when fully ripe, it excelled in quality every variety I 
had ever raised. It is shaped much like the old 
fashioned olive jars of our boyhood days. It has 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GKOW THEM, ETC. 



89 



no shell, but a thick skin which is of a lead blue 
color. It is thick meated. The seeds are bronze 
colored, very thick shelled and difficult to vegetate, 
requiring for a stand to be planted about three times 
as thick as usual. The flesh is very fine grained, 
very sweet, and of a deliciously rich flavor. The 
two objections to it are that it is but a medium crop- 
per and requires high manuring and a long season 
to mature it. Like the Marblchead and Chestnut 
and Butman, it cannot be profitably raised at the 
same price at which the Hubbard is sold, and conse- 
quently if the public want the best of all squashes 
they must l^e prepared to pay a price that will re- 
munerate the farmer for raising them. 




BAY STATE SQUASH. 



The Bay State. — This is a variety sent out by 
Mr. Aaron Lew, the same seedman who introduced 



90 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GKOW THEM, ETC. 



the Essex Hybrid. It resembles the Hybrid in 
shape, but difiers in having a blue-green colored 
shell. Under high manuring it is a good cropper. 
Has been largely raised in eastern Massachusetts. 




THE STRICKLER SQUASH. 

The Strickler Squash. — This may be called a 
giant summer Crookneck, with the improvement of 
being of a richer color and of rather finer quality. 

Mammoth Etampes. — This is one of the class 
of squashes which are for the most part raised for 
exhibition purposes. It grows to mammoth pro- 
portions, sometimes weighing over one hundred and 
fifty pounds. To do its best it needs early planting 
in a warm location, in soil manured at the rate of 
twenty cords of rich manure to the acre, to have the 
hills twelve feet apart each way, and to be thinned as 



SQUASHES, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 91 

they begin to run to one vine to each hill. They 
make excellent food for milch cows, and on the 




MAMMOTH ETAMPES SQUASH. 



prairie or river bottoms of the fertile West, where 
nature has done the manuring, they may prove to 
be a profitable crop. 

Tordhook Squash. —This is one of the hard- 
stemmed varieties of squash which allies it to the 
Crookneck family, and it has the peculiar flavor of 
the Crookneck class, as distinguished from the fleshly- 
stemmed squashes of which the Hul^bard, Marrow, 
and Pike's Peak are types. It is dry, fine-grained, 
and very sweet, very hardy and prolific. Too small 
for the general market, it is an excellent squash for 
family use for those who like the Crookneck flavor. 
It is closely allied to the Para and Illinois Beauty 
squashes, and is decidedly the best of that family. 
Beino; of the hard-stemmed class, it is not so liable 



92 PUMPKINS, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 




to attack from the borer, or to diseases common to 
the soft-stemmed squash. 



PUMPKINS. 

Though this is a work on squashes and their culti- 
vation, yet a notice of two or three of the most valu- 
able of their close cousins, the pumpkin family, may 
not be out of place. 

The Connecticut or Field Pumpkin. — This 
is the standard variety so well known and so 
generally grows throughout New England. A thin 
shelled, rather coarse fleshed, prolific variety, very 
generally planted among the hills of corn at the first 
or second hoeing. 

As fall feed for the cows they are excellent for 



PUMPKINS, HOW TO GROW THEM, ETC. 



93 



milk, but it is generally thought best to avoid feed- 
ing the seed, as they act powerfully on the kidneys. 
To get a crop that would astonish those who have 
never tried the experiment, raise several varieties of 
pumpkins side by side and the next year plant the 
seed from these, in land given wholly to them, 
manuring at the rate of ten cord to the acre. I have 
seen fifteen tons to the acre raised in this way. 




GIBSON MAMMOTH PUMPKIN. 



Gibson Mammoth Pumpkin. — This is one of 
the mammoth varieties, made by crossing with ihe 



94 



PUMPKINS, HOAV TO GROAV THEM, ETC. 



fine grained sugar pumpliins. The result has been to 
o^ive the Mammoth a richer orano^e colored flesh "and 
a finer quality without reducing the size, making the 
Gibson decidedly the best of the Mammoth class for 
stock feeding, the grain being so fine as to make ex- 
cellent pies. To succeed in raising the largest speci- 
mens, the same directions should be followed as are 
given for the raising of the Mammoth Etampes. 




SUGAR PUMPKIN. 



Sugar Pumpkin. — This is the finest grained and 
best in quality of all the pumpkin family, being the 
only variety which is worthy of being brought on 
the table as human food. The grain is nearly as 
fine as that of a marrow squash, and will make the 
typical pumpkin pie. 

Though this pumpkin is a small one, averaging 
four or five pounds each, yet it is such an abundant 
cropper the aggregate yield is fully equal in weight 
to that of some of the larger sorts. 



Books for Farmers and Others. 



CABBAGES, AND HOW TO RAISE THEM. 
By J. J. H. Gregory, Marblehead, Mass. 

This treatise gives all the minute instructions so valuable to 
the beginner. It begins with the selecting the ground, and car- 
ries the reader along, step by step, through the preparing of the 
soil, manuring, ploughing, planting, hoeing, weeding, gather- 
ing the crop, storing, and marketing it, with a hundred minute 
details embracing every department of the subject. 

To prepare myself the more thoroughly to write on this work, 
I experimented on foreign and native varieties of cabbage for 
four years, raising not far from seventy kinds. The gist of my 
experience will be found in this treatise. It is illustrated by 
several fine engravings. I have added a paragraph on the green 
worm that is causing so inuch trouble in some localities. Price, 
post-paid, 30 cents. 



CARROTS, MANGOLD WURTZELS, AND SUGAR 

BEETS: WHAT KINDS TO RAISE, HOW TO 

GROW THEM, AND HOW TO FEED THEM. 

By J. J. H. Gregory, Marblehead. Mass. 

The increased attention given to the raising of roots for feed- 
ing to stock, particularly the Carrot and Mangold Wurtzel, has 
led me to write this treatise. I have endeavored to follow the 
manner presented in my other works, and give that minuteness 
of detail in every step of progress, from the seed to the matured 
crop, that is generally desired by the public. While this work is 
more particularly intended for persons of limited experience, yet 
it gathers up so much of experience and observation, covering so 
much ground in the growing and handling of these two standard 
crops, that I should be disappointed if about every grower did 
not find within its covers some facts of more value to him than 
the cost of the book. Price, post-paid, 30 cents. 



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